


Of Pirates and Treasure

by diangelonnico



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Pirate! AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-07
Updated: 2014-09-01
Packaged: 2018-02-03 18:23:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 26,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1754035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diangelonnico/pseuds/diangelonnico
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sailing the seven seas are three ships, all with captains connected one way or another. The Flying Jupiters Captain, decides she wants the Poseidon's Pearls treasure - but what if that treasure is a person?<br/>However, a bigger evil is at work - magic and all. Percy needs everyone's help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Poseidon's Pearl - Annabeth

**Author's Note:**

> Finally the whole work is posted. I spent like 4 months on this - in the middle of exams too so you better like it haha :)

The sea was rough that day, and following the map was hard. Annabeth stared down at it, trying to work out their location.

“Percy! Could you tell me where we are?” Annabeth shouted to Percy who was standing, looking out at the sea. The wind ruffled his hair and clothes as they sailed, making him look like the perfect Captain - which in Annabeth’s opinion, he was.

He turned around, looking at Annabeth in the distance with his beautiful eyes, eyes the colour of the sea on a nice day. He squinted, at the sun that was beating down onto his tanned face. He half ran up the steps to the quarterdeck where Annabeth had the treasure map pinned to the table, a compass on top. She had been looking at it for a good half an hour but she just couldn’t figure out where they were. She had a feeling they may have gone off course at some point with the rough winds the previous night.

“Seventy five degrees, eight minutes north. Fifteen degrees, forty three minutes west.” Percy said, without even looking at the map, walking over to where Annabeth was standing. He almost said it cockily but Annabeth knew he was only trying to impress her, which he knew he didn’t need to.

Annabeth just smiled knowingly. “Next time you might want to at least glance at the map. We don’t want the crew getting the wrong idea.” she scolded. Annabeth was the quartermaster, and the only one on the entire ship to know Percy’s secret. Of course, there were rumours, but Annabeth was the only one to know that the rumours were true. They just hoped that most people passed them off as silly gossip as it would most likely put Percy in a dangerous situation if the wrong people got to know.

“Yes, Captain,” Percy said in a mockingly triumphant manner, as if trying to impress the ‘captain’.

"Shut up, seaweed brain," Annabeth muttered. "You may be Captain, but that doesn’t mean you get to be an arsehole."

Percy grinned cockily with that troublemaker smile he knew Annabeth loved. "If I refrain from being an arsehole, do I get a kiss?"

Annabeth went to whisper in his ear. "Maybe later. Not in front of the crew."

The crew wasn't stupid, though. They knew that Annabeth, the quartermaster, slept in the captain's quarters with Percy, but this sort of thing wasn’t uncommon on pirate ships. They knew there was something going on. To be honest, they were surprised there hadn’t been any babies yet, but no one said anything for fear that Annabeth would slit their throats with her dagger, or Percy would prod them in the back with his sword until they walked the plank. Captain Percy Jackson and Quartermaster Annabeth Chase were a scary duo, and not to be messed with. Even the other pirates who sailed these seas knew that.


	2. The Flying Jupiter - Reyna

Reyna sat, lounging in the Captain’s chair.

 

"Captain!" Dakota shouted urgently from the doorway. "There’s another ship nearby. I believe it to be Poseidon’s Pearl." He hurried out. Reyna stood, her hand on her weapons belt and ready to grab her knives if need be.

 

"Get me my telescope," Dakota immediately left to do so. Reyna went up to the quarterdeck of The Flying Jupiter to get a better look at the rival ship. She had heard of Poseidon’s Pearl and its captain. Captain Percy Jackson was rumoured to be a son of the sea god, and a powerful one at that, making for a very dangerous pirate - and a successful one. Reyna had heard that he had some interesting treasure up his sleeve.

 

There were many rumours flying around about the various pirates that sailed these seas. Captain Jackson was rumoured to be in love with his Quartermaster, Chase. The Ghost King, Captain of The Pride of Hades and rumoured to be a child of the Underworld, was thought to be a ghost himself, but people seldom saw him. Despite this, he was feared by all.

 

Reyna knew him fairly well, but that was a story for another time. Reyna also knew the beautiful blonde that she could now see through her telescope, standing on the quarterdeck of Poseidon’s Pearl. They had had a brief encounter a long time ago on an island in the middle of nowhere. Annabeth had escaped her prison, and let Reyna out too. Reyna, though was soon recaptured by pirates, and had chosen instead to fight her way to becoming captain with fierce ambition.

 

She could now see the black haired beauty talking to Annabeth, his clothes billowing in the wind, and his eyes narrowing as he looked at The Flying Jupiter. He shouted something and everyone disappeared from the deck, apart from him and his quartermaster. Then, not without a wistful look, she went below deck too.

 

The Flying Jupiter closed in, but Percy Jackson stood his ground.

 

“What do you want?” he shouted over to Reyna.

 

What did Reyna want? She wanted the treasure everyone was looking for! Captain Percy Jackson was thought to know where that treasure was, and what it was. He was considered a treasure himself, according to the many girls he had spent drunken nights with. No one bothered firing any guns or cannons or getting any swords or knives out. He didn’t seem prepared to fight. Reyna simply brought her ship up against Poseidon’s Pearl and jumped down onto the slightly smaller pirate ship, with a few of her crew members.

 

Percy levelled his head. “What do you want?” he repeated as Reyna circled him, taking in the exterior of the ship.

 

Reyna took her gun out and swung it around her little finger. “Why, I want your treasure,” She smiled. “Are you going to tell me where it is? Or do I have to… extract the information?” She ran her nail under his chin, tilting his head up, and in one quick movement she had his hands pinned behind his back.

 

“Tie him up!” she shouted to her crew. They secured his hands with ropes. “So, are you going to tell me where it is? What it is?” she asked again.

 

“No,” Percy said firmly.

 

“Not even your maps?”

 

“The maps are hidden,” Percy retorted.

 

Reyna smirked. “You must have some maps, you must know where they are. Not even a tiny bit of treasure?”

 

"The greatest treasures are people, and the love and loyalty they give you," Percy told her confidently, trying to put Reyna off the idea of maps. It did sound like he meant it, though.

 

"That’s not what a true pirate would say. I guess I’ll just have to take you." Reyna murmured, coming close to Percy and staring him down.

 

She hadn’t been expecting the doors nearby to burst open, and she definitely hadn’t been expecting Annabeth Chase to burst out.

 

"No!" Came the hurried shout, "Take me! He’s not the only one who knows about the treasure." Reyna smiled. Annabeth Chase, sacrificing herself for her precious Percy. A part of Reyna wished she had someone to do that for her.

 

"No- Annabeth," Percy gasped, now struggling to break free from the ties Reyna had imposed on him. Two of Reyna’s crew took hold of Percy’s arms and two took hold of Annabeth. Annabeth showed no fear, but now that she’d been thrown into the mix, Percy was obviously scared.

 

He continued to struggle. “No, don’t-” he kept gasping. Reyna could tell they cared for each other, though she wasn’t sure she’d call it love.

 

"Gag him." Reyna told Gwen and Dakota, the two holding Percy.

 

They gagged him. Annabeth looked at Percy, saying goodbye with her eyes.

 

Annabeth walked towards Reyna, struggling to escape from the hold of Reyna’s crewmen. She stood in front of Reyna and sized her up. Just as Annabeth was about to try and break free to go for her dagger, Reyna snatched it from her belt and Annabeth felt the cold steel of her gun against her temple.

 

“Now, now.” Reyna spoke with an intimidating gentleness. “Be a good girl, and I might not lock you up in the brig.”

 

Annabeth levelled Reyna with an icy gaze, her stone grey eyes steely, and the crewmen took hold of her arms again. Reyna held the gun to her head.

 

“Walk.” she commanded.

 

To her crew; “Knock him out, but don’t kill him, then search the ship. I want you to bring back anything of value, and I want to be out of here long before he wakes up. Kill anyone that crosses you.”

 

And with that, Reyna and Annabeth were gone, leaving Percy tied up and knocked out. She hoped Percy’s crew had heard that, she didn’t want to be too long finishing them off - and she didn’t want to have to kill Percy. She definitely didn’t want to have to kill Annabeth; she quite fancied her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please let me know how you found it - it is still a WIP but I promise this is the last one I'm posting before it's finished and read through!


	3. Poseidon's Pearl - Percy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I have like NO self control. I just couldn’t wait to post the third chapter. It is so almost done now and I’m really excited to finally get it all out there. Please please please let me know how you found it as it will guarantee me posting the rest! <3

Percy woke up slowly, his head throbbing like someone had hit him over the head with a plank of wood,. And, considering the circumstances of his little… nap, that was probably what had happened, too. His cheek was pressed against the cold wooden floor of the deck and his arms were still tied behind his back, his brain felt fuzzy. There was something over his mouth, and the wind was fiercely ruffling clothes. He blinked a few times before fully realizing what had happened. Someone came running up to him, but from his position on the ground he could only see their boots. Percy groaned.

He was helped to a sitting position and his gag was untied. It was Connor, the younger Stoll brother and a loyal member of Percy’s crew. He often did lookout duty up in the crow’s nest.

‘‘Are you okay, capt?” He untied the knots around Percy’s wrists.

“No, not really.” Percy answered.  “What’s the damage to the ship? I’m surprised she left us floating. I thought she might burn us to the ground.”

“Ermm, about 10 dead, all silver and gold gone, all the rum gone, and they took Miss Chase” said Connor nervously.

“Shit.” Percy cursed.  “Did they leave any food?” It was all well and good worrying about Annabeth but if they didn’t have any food Percy wouldn’t be around to worry about her.

“Yes. They only took the drink.”

“Did they find the maps?” Percy asked urgently. The maps were the maps Luke left long ago, to the more in detail maps to his treasure, which were hidden in a foreign city somewhere. Annabeth was the only one who knew the exact location, these maps were fairly vague.  Percy was worried Reyna would manage to find out where the maps, the maps that should stay hidden for centuries, were through finding their first set of maps.

“No. They’re still secure.”

Percy nodded, relieved. “I’m quite sure her intention was not to kill Annab- Miss Chase, so we’re going to find them and get her back.” he dictated, looking out across the sea.  “How long ago did they leave?”

“Not long ago, we waited till they were out of sight to untie you.” Conner replied. “In case they came back”

“Okay, how long can we sail for before we need more food?”

“Er, ‘bout a week, we were due to stop in Tortuga four days from now.”

“Right- I should know this.” His palm went to his forehead.

“Perhaps you’re groggy from the hit, Cap.’’ Conner suggested.

“Perhaps. Set sail for Tortuga, then we find the Flying Jupiter.” Percy commanded. “And we will get Annabeth back.”

And with Percy’s order, they went. The crew took a big hit, losing 10 of their members and their beloved Quartermaster. But at least Annabeth wasn’t dead - yet.

It was hard on Percy, having to sleep alone in the Captains quarters, having no one to hold, no one to whisper in his ear when he woke up screaming. The crew left him to scream on his own. They went silent when he passed, they didn’t mention Annabeth, or the night terrors he seemed to have almost every night.

For the first few months when Percy and Annabeth fell in love and started sleeping together, the crew didn’t say anything. It was awkward, as they would go silent whenever Percy and Annabeth were together, which was a lot since she was Percy’s right hand woman.

They soon started easing up to it. After all, the Captain could do what he wanted, and their relationship wasn’t unusual for their occupation. Percy was oblivious to the fact that the crew noticed his love for Annabeth, but her, not so much. They had still tried to keep it under wraps. Now, there was no point.

Percy didn’t know what to do without Annabeth. As a Captain, he’d lost his Quartermaster, and as a person, he’d lost his lover and best friend. He wanted, no, needed her back.

 


	4. The Flying Jupiter (Reyna)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had a few ask about where Nico is, I promise he is in the next chapter after this one!

They were well ahead of Poseidon’s Pearl now. There was no chance they’d catch up for a long time. Reyna looked over at the sleeping girl on her bed, her arms still tied behind her back. She tossed and turned in her sleep and mumbled Percy’s name. Her face would twist and then relax, emotions dancing across it that Reyna couldn’t read, no matter how much she wished she could.

She prepared a drink for when Annabeth woke up, and settled back down in her chair to watch her.

Annabeth opened her eyes slowly. Then suddenly, as if realising where she was, she quickly sat up, on guard at once. 

“Here, have a drink.” Reyna was calm as she held out the cup to Annabeth. She brought it to her lips and poured it down her throat, since Annabeth’s hands were still tied. Reyna put the drink down on the bedside table and reached around Annabeth.

She released her hands; the only sound was the rasp of Annabeth’s heavy breathing. 

Reyna smiled. “Is that better?” she asked. Annabeth nodded cautiously, assessing the situation, her eyes darting around the room.

“You won’t find any weapons in here, there’s no escape routes either . . . Well, there’s the door, but I already locked that.” Reyna told her sweetly, with no space for argument in her voice.

Annabeth looked her squarely in the eye. “What are you going to do with me, then? Why am I here?”

“You are here because I wanted treasure, and you seem to be Perseus’ greatest treasure. Am I right?”

“I wouldn’t know. Ask him.” Annabeth said coolly.

“He loves you. I dismissed it as a rumour when I heard, but then I saw you together, they way you sacrificed yourself for him. Truly romantic.” Reyna smirked. “Do you love him?”

“I do.” Annabeth replied, trying to hold up what was left of her dignity.

Reyna smiled then, a menacing smile. “Well you better forget about him, because all you’ve got is me now.”

“He’ll look for me. And he’ll find me.” Annabeth told her, no emotion evident.

Reyna chuckled and raised an eyebrow. “Will he? I suspect he’ll have a hard time with half a crew and a nasty concussion.” 

“Don’t worry. He’ll be here.” She told Reyna, but she was mostly trying to convince herself. “He’ll be here.” She repeated, this time not for Reyna’s benefit.

“We’ll see.” Reyna said, unconvinced. She walked out, leaving Annabeth on the bed, locking the door behind her.  
___

Reyna returned about three hours later with a plate of food. She set it on the bedside table, beside where Annabeth was sleeping. Annabeth woke up to the sound of the door shutting and locking. She looked at Reyna, and she had tear tracks running down her face. 

“Have you been crying?” Reyna asked her gently, sitting on the double bed beside her.

All of Annabeth’s dignity was completely gone now. She might as well admit to it. “What do you expect me to do when I’ve been captured?” She asked, her voice betraying her fear and sadness now. Her face contorted in worry as she said it.

“At least I’m letting you sleep in my bed. At least I’m giving you food and water. At least I haven’t killed you.” Reyna answered her softly.

Annabeth’s face softened, as if she was realising just how kind Reyna was actually being, considering her ruthless reputation. 

Reyna looked around the room. It was fairly big with a four poster bed in the middle, the one Annabeth was currently in, and Reyna sat on the bed beside her. The sheets were all white, and the wood dark mahogany brown. There was a small window on the opposite side of the room to the door and the deep purple curtains were billowing in the wind. Annabeth was looking at Reyna, studying her face, looking scared - but not as much as she was before. She waited for Reyna to speak again, having nothing to say herself.

After a while, Reyna spoke again, softly. “I want you to tell me about yourself.” She needed to find out where Jackson was hiding his blasted treasure – since her crew never found anything on the ship. She knew he had something, she just didn’t know what or where. But she knew it was valuable, and she knew that if anyone knew where it was, Annabeth Chase would know.   
She was going to find out. She was going to get that treasure.

“I’m not sure what there is to say.”

“I’m sure there’s something. Start with your childhood.” Reyna said, a smile ghosting across her lips as she formulated her brilliant plan to find out where Jackson was hiding the real treasure. It never occurred to her that maybe, one day in the near future, she would find Annabeth a treasure in herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if you liked it or not or whatever! <3


	5. The Pride of Hades - Nico

Nico di Angelo sat up in the crow’s nest of his ship. He was the Captain, but he liked to spend his time up there. It gave him time to think. He could hear the ghosts below, on the deck, going about their daily duties. It could get quite lonely, being the only living person on board, but the ghosts were friendly, and he saw his sister every once in a while.

Nico preferred the ghosts to most living people. The ghosts didn’t hassle him, didn’t ask questions. They took his word for order and they weren’t as scared of him. Nico was their king, and they were his people (if you could call them people). 

Nico wasn’t really a normal human being, he was the son of Hades, god of the underworld – hence the name of his ship. There were rumours that Percy Jackson, captain of Poseidon’s Pearl, was in fact a son of Poseidon.That rumour was true.

Many people found it surprising that Nico was alive. They assumed he was dead just because he was the ghost king, but if they knew of his true parentage, they’d be way more scared. The ghost king wasn’t always alive, though. Before Nico, the captain was King Minos. He had banished him and took his title, which, to be honest, was rightfully Nico’s- being a child of the underworld and all.

Nico had a deep and dark history that not many of the ghosts knew about. Many people thought Nico wasn’t to be trusted, when in fact, Nico was probably the most trustworthy pirate that sailed the seven seas. 

There were many rumours about Captain Nico di Angelo flying around the pirate community. For one, there was the rumour that he and his sister were children of the underworld, truth. Another was that he had a sister that could raise treasure out of the very earth they stand on by just willing it to appear, which was also true. Nico would never tell others, though. If anyone else knew it to be true, well- he didn’t want to think about what they’d put his sister through. His sister, whom he loved more than anything in the world.

Nico hadn’t known his sister for his entire life, however. She was his half-sister. As an excellent practitioner in necromancy, he had brought her back from the dead a few years ago. She was physically a year younger than Nico, and he would protect her at all costs, but she wasn’t his only sister.

Nico did have another sibling, an older sister, but the history there is murky to anyone who isn’t Nico di Angelo, and it is a dangerous subject to broach with him. Percy Jackson knows what happened, but he has long forgotten the little boy that was Nico di Angelo.

Nico di Angelo hadn’t and never would forget Percy Jackson.

In that moment, brooding over things that happened long ago, Nico saw something. It was a ship, far off in the distance, and coming straight at them. It was sailing a green flag, meaning ‘we just want to talk’. The ghosts down below were staring at it. This had never happened before. Nico gave a small chuckle and stood up, travelling through the shadows to the quarterdeck, oh a perk of being a child of the underworld. He took his telescope to get a better look.

“Stand your ground. No weapons unless they appear hostile.” He shouted to his crew. They obeyed, and waited. As the ship neared, Nico peered through his telescope. He exhaled when he saw the Captain of the ship. It was the Poseidon’s Pearl, and Percy Jackson stood plainly on the deck - the man who haunted his dreams and had ever since that night when Nico’s world had been shattered by Bianca’s death.

Nico changed his orders. “I want the Captain tied up and brought before me. Don’t kill anyone and don’t take anything. Just the Captain.” He yelled. This confused his crew, but he was assured they’d follow through. The perks of having dead crewmen - they always listened to your orders and they always carried them out.


	6. Poseidon's Pearl - Percy

After leaving Tortuga, Percy had no idea where the Flying Jupiter may have gone with his Annabe- with Annabeth. He wasn’t missing her as much as he thought he would be. He still loved her and he still wanted to find her, god he needed to find her, but he didn’t miss her that much. Perhaps they were due some time apart. Percy didn’t know. Perhaps the realisation that she had been kidnapped hadn’t sunk in yet.

“The Ghost King is bound to have some information. The Pride of Hades and The Flying Jupiter are rumoured to be in co-ersion.” Stated Clarisse, one of Percy’s most war hungry crew members.

“Okay . . . And how do we find them?” Percy asked cautiously.

“Someone in Tortuga said they set sail going northeast about a day ago. If we sail fast, we could catch up with them.” Travis put in.

“Right. I don’t want any fights, I just want to talk. Fly the green flag and let’s go. What’s the Captain’s name, again?” Percy asked. He felt like he should know and with approaching their ship and asking for help it might be an advantage to know the captains name.

“No one knows sir, only that he’s rumoured to be a child of the underworld. He’s commonly known as The Ghost King. We thought you would know his name.” Clarisse interjected.

“Well, I don’t. I have a feeling I should, though.” Percy mused, as he disappeared into his quarters.

Percy couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew who The Ghost King was. He knew the Ghost King, but he couldn’t find a face, or a name. He was pretty sure there was a sister somewhere in the mix. 

Then it hit him. Nico di Angelo, name quite fittingly meaning the angel of death. His sister, Bianca had been part of Percy’s crew a long, long time ago. Nico had been too young. He took Percy aside, his innocent brown eyes wide, and asked him to take care of his sister. Percy had promised to. He had failed.

Bianca had been killed in a landing to take some treasure, and Percy told Nico himself. Nico ran away and had never been seen again, never heard of again until two years ago, when Percy heard rumours that The Pride of Hades’ captain had been defeated by none other than Nico di Angelo, but he had dismissed the rumours instantly - no way could that scrawny little boy be a pirate captain, he probably wasn’t even still alive. He was the Ghost King. That little broken boy that Percy once knew was the Ghost King, now one of the most feared pirates around. Percy couldn’t believe it.

Percy promised Bianca he would take care of Nico and he had failed, miserably. Breaking promises to the di Angelos had turned into a habit. Now he was going to see him again, and he didn’t have a clue how he would react. After all, Nico had made his hatred quite clear ever since. 

But Percy needed Annabeth back. His only current option was to ask Nico for help, and for Annabeth, Percy would go to the ends of the earth and back, even if the end of the earth was boarding a ghost ship and asking the man who hated him most on the earth for help. Percy just hoped he lived long enough to find Annabeth, he might be dead in a few hours if Nico was in a bad mood and was good at holding grudges. Percy doubted he’d kill him though, he had a feeling he was nicer than Reyna.


	7. The Pride of Hades - Nico

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yayy finally a longer chapter!

Poseidon’s Pearl slowly approached, until it pulled itself alongside Nico’s ship.  The Ghost King waited for the storm but it didn’t come. Only a single pirate came. The Captain, with his sea-green eyes and black hair, his tanned skin and his revealing white cotton shirt. He was wearing brown boots and old trousers that complimented his behind nicely, not that Nico was looking - or maybe he was, who wouldn’t? His bead necklace settled just between his collarbones and he had trident tattoo, which was inked right above his heart, if the rumours that Nico had heard were true, the trident gave a hint to his parentage.

As he approached, he gave Nico that dashing smirk that had squeezed the younger boy’s heart into conflict all those years ago, and still managed to make it beat ten times faster than it should. Nico took a deep breath. He would rather have anyone other than Percy Jackson stood in front of him right now, or maybe he only wants Percy Jackson stood in front of him right now. He didn’t know, he really didn’t know. Percy had this way of making his brain stop and crumble, making his heart do somersaults and butterflies flutter in his stomach. He hated it. He loved it. He didn’t know.

He had thought he was over him but seeing him, he clearly wasn’t. The man had only gotten more pleasant looking with the years, which was a disadvantage on Nico’s side. How could he kill someone looking like that if needs be? The man was so appealing to the eyes, everything from his head to his toes and Nico could only imagine how much better he must look without clothes on - but no, he couldn’t afford to think like that now. He didn’t know why Percy was here but he had a feeling it was definitely not to let Nico oggle at him - even if he was the most attractive pirate sailing the seas.

“Perseus Jackson.” Was Nico’s flat greeting as Percy boarded his ship, he tried not to betray any emotion at all - as he had practiced over the years. Percy’s grin got larger as Nico said his nam. “Tie him up.” Nico ordered and Percy’s smile fell fast.

“What?” Percy asked in a disappointed tone, as if realising that Nico wasn’t in the mood for a friendly chat, and to be honest, he probably never would be, he hadn’t been since Bianca died. The only person Nico was willing to talk to was his sister, Hazel and he didn’t see her very often. And the last (or maybe the first - Nico didn’t know) person he wanted to talk to was Percy, the Percy that put his heart and head into conflict so many times and in a way that Nico didn’t think was possible anymore now that he had grown up and gotten over it, but somehow it was possible and he found himself feeling all those things he felt when he first met him. Nico wouldn’t let Percy know any of this though, he would put on his best poker face and wait him out until he decided to tell him why he was here.

“I said,” Nico answered, a smile playing across his lips as he repeated his words for Percy lingering on them slightly, knowing full well he didn’t need to hear them again - he was just in shock at what Nico had said. “Tie him up.” At the repetition, the ghosts moved to restrain Percy. The ropes dug at his wrists as they tied him to a chair, but had yet to gag him. Nico could see the hurt in Percy’s eyes. Nico felt bad but he also felt a glint of mad, insane pleasure at being able to tie him up - after all these years, all the internal torture Percy had caused for him Nico was finally able to get him back, slightly but all the same, he was getting a little revenge.

“I just wanted to talk.” Percy pleaded.

“And I didn’t.” said Nico. He spun on his heel, putting his back to Percy and cutting him off, showing that he showed no interest (really he did but Percy didn’t need to know that). Percy could be so oblivious sometimes, was it really that hard for him to understand that Nico didn’t want to see him. Percy had been partly responsible for Bianca’s death, wasn’t that enough of a hint, wasn’t Nico running away and refusing to be found a massive hint that he didn’t ever want anything to do with Percy ever again? Maybe not. Was Nico glad? Who knows? The ghosts parted to make way for their king as he slowly paced, his boots clicking on the wooden deck. He drew his black sword slowly, a sword so beautiful it would bring blacksmiths and weaponry designers to their knees.It was simple but a trained eye could see how the blade was in perfect balance with the hilt and the point was always ready to sqewer a body, or the side ready to cut. It was a perfect shiny black with intricate patterns on the hilt and it had been made with the most precise care you could ever wish for. It was stygian iron and the perfect weapon.

Some would say stygian iron didn’t exist, that it was a substance of fairy tales and legend but you’d be surprised by how many of these legends were true. Plenty of the rumors were true too. To the regular person it was just talk - to Nico it was life, reality.

“Now, what do you want?” Nico asked while examining the tip of his sword. It would have been effective, if only he wasn’t so overly dramatic. He wanted to scare Percy a little, it wouldn’t have been fun if he didn’t try. Nico scared a lot of people and well, Percy Jackson would be a challenge so he took it. He didn’t particularly want him coming onto his ship for no obvious reason again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> stay tuned for more.


	8. The Pride of Hades - Percy

Percy looked at the leather covering Nico’s back. He struggled with his hands to try and free them from the ropes binding them behind the chair. He had a feeling Nico was going to try and use his sword on him, and he wanted to be able to defend himself when the time came. But he couldn’t get his hands free, and he certainly wouldn’t be able to reach his knife like this. It looked like he was doomed. But, Nico wouldn’t really kill him, would he? He didn’t hate him that much. He hoped.

And then dark, cold eyes stared into green ones as Nico faced him. “Are you going to answer me, Jackson?” The boy practically growled. He had grown so much, and made an intimidating Captain.

Percy swallowed. His could feel the fear drumming in his heart. Nico had matured so much since the incident with his sister. He was considerably taller, and although he was deathly skinny and pale, his arms rippled with lean muscle that looked as if it could handle a sword like a pro. Purple circled beneath his eyes, hinting at sleepless nights, and his hair had grown out so that it was a shaggy black mess that almost touched his shoulders. Despite all this, he still looked good in a strange way, but he certainly looked scary.

Finally, Percy replied. “I need your help.” He thought answering may be the best way to avoid getting skewered by Nico’s sword.

“My help?” Nico repeated.

“Yes. I’ve been told you know where the Flying Jupiter is going. You know the captain.”

“I do,” admitted Nico, “But what makes you think I’d help you?”

“Because we’re friends, we’ve known each other for years.” Percy was pleading.

“I don’t have friends.” Came the immediate reply, “And if I did, you wouldn’t be one of them. You got my sister killed and you left me all alone. You forgot about me and didn’t keep a single promise. We’ve known each other for years, and in those years how many times did you try to contact me? I could have been dead, for all you knew. You don’t really know anything about me at all. You don’t care, and you never have.” Nico spat.

This was getting nasty quickly. The hostile boy could start using his sword at any minute, and Percy was still tied up, defenseless. To make matters worse, Nico bent, easily extracting the bronze knife from Percy that he always kept in his boot.

He examined the knife with interest. “So I’m not the only one who keeps a knife in my boot.”

His arm was a flash as he flung it down onto the deck, a loud thud echoing in their ears as it stuck to the wood between Percy’s feet.

“Are you going to try and get it, or should I keep it for now?” Nico asked. Percy kept his mouth shut and eventually Nico picked it up with a smirk. “Not ready for a challenge yet?”

“Reyna took Annabeth.” Percy burst out desperately. “And I need to find her.”

“What do you want me to do about that?” Nico asked, spinning Percy’s knife around in his hands.

“I need your help finding her.”

The younger boy just stared at Percy blankly, unimpressed.

“...Please. “ He added. “Nico. I know I haven’t been keeping my promises, but it isn’t for lack of trying, I swear to you. Help me keep this one, and I’ll make it up to you a thousand times over.” He accompanied the plea with his best puppy dog eyes, not that he expected them to work on Nico. They hadn’t worked on anybody since he was fourteen, to be honest. But if Nico could utilize his scariness, Percy had his own assets and he was going to use them.

Useful assets, apparently. Nico had a glazed-over look in his eye. He tore his hand through his hair, but the jerkily violent action was quickly followed by a gentle one. Emotions ran across his face- from anger to indecisiveness to resignation. 

“How did I think I could say no to you?” He said softly, so that it was practically a whisper. Percy swallowed and looked Nico in the eye, he didn’t say anything when he felt the boy’s fingers on his cheek, just carried on breathing. What was Nico doing? 

He took a step back. “I’ll help you.”

“Thank you. I’ll make it up to you.” Percy repeated. If Nico was going to help, Percy wanted to be a decent person. He may be a pirate, but he wasn’t unreasonable. Not when it came to fellow pirates like Nico, at least.

Nico shook his head. “I don’t need anything in return, and I don’t want anything from you.” He replied, “Anyway, what happened to take what you can and give nothing back? Isn’t that what we pirates live by?”

“But I thought you hated me? And i’m not an indecent person.’’ Percy said, keeping his head held high and clutching at what remained of his dignity. The wind was blowing from the east, dishevelling his hair and ruffling up his clothes. Nico was also affected, but his long black cloak seemed to be protecting him from most of the damage.

The Ghost Captain started fiddling with the skull ring on his finger. “I. . .I never hated you.” He admitted.

“That’s hard to believe.” Percy laughed without humour.

“Well . . . I did hate you, but not... not for the reason you think. I hated myself more.” Nico looked troubled. “And I… Shouldn’t really be telling you this.” He seemed to decide mid-thought, turning to return to his quarters behind the deck. Before he disappeared through the doors, “Leave him tied up, and don’t let his crew get on my ship.” Were Nico’s orders.

Percy was left tied on the deck of a ship with only one living person on it, that living person being bizarrely difficult. Not to mention, Percy’s crew wouldn’t be back to save him, since he had told them come for him if he was gone for more than a day. Leaving almost 24 gloomy hours for Percy to sit there, out in the cold wind.


	9. The Pride of Hades - Nico

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so I'm posting two chapters at once because these ones are fairly short, enjoy.

Nico slammed the door to his quarters and kicked it. The dull thud was oddly satisfying, and so he continued kicking and beating the unsuspecting door. Nico muttered obscenities under his breath, most of them directed at himself. Who did Jackson think he was, marching onto his ship and giving him puppy dog eyes? When he’d finally released all his anger, he cried. Tears ran down his face and his eyes were so clouded he could not see. His fists were balled into fists so tightly that his knuckles were going white and his nails were starting to draw blood from the palms of his hands. He couldn’t go on like this any longer.

So, he collected himself after a short while. He really couldn’t afford to sit and cry in his cabin like he wanted to, he had to face the world and the horrors it threw at him - even if that horror was Percy Jackson. He promised he would help Percy so that’s what he’d do. He looked in the mirror and straightened his clothes, wiped his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. Then, he turned away from the mirror before his demons could claw at his eyes and distort the image into a monster. Nico opened the double doors dramatically, the way a king would, and he walked out, letting them slam behind him. He kept his head up high and tried not to break at the sight of Percy tied up in front of him. Helpless.

Nico thought about untying him for a second but he thought he’d better wait, just in case this was a trick, because pirates were good at playing tricks, and Percy Jackson was good at breaking promises – and hearts, whether he knew it or not.

“Perseus Jackson.” Nico said. Percy looked up at him. “I said I’d help you find your lover, so that’s what I’ll do. But on my terms, and my terms only. If The Flying Jupiter sees your ship approaching they won’t hesitate to hijack you and kill you. You are to leave your ship and stay on mine. They trust me – sort of. They won’t harm me unless I cause a threat.” Nico told Percy. “I’m sending a messenger onto your ship. If you agree, that is.”

Percy nodded cautiously. “Will you untie me if I do agree?” he asked.

“Maybe.” Nico shrugged. “It depends whether you’re a good boy or not.” He smiled.

“And what if I’m not?” Percy smirked, a troublemaker glint in his mesmerising eyes.

“I’ll tie you up again.” Nico shrugged. “Simple. Though maybe a little tighter next time”

Percy gulped, after a pause he said confidently, “You’ve changed. . . not that I mind.”

“What can I say? I’ve grown up.” Nico told him, his tone suddenly serious.

“And so have I. Tying me up again will not be necessary. I swear.” Percy assured.

“I hope it won’t be.” Nico said, then he clicked his fingers and a ghost appeared at his side.

“Yes sir?” The ghost said eagerly.

“I want you to go onto Captain Perseus’ ship and retrieve two crew members.” Nico ordered.

“Yes Captain.” the ghost bowed and hurried off.

Ten minutes later he came back with Clarisse La Rue and Chris Rodriguez. “I want everyone out of here.” Nico shouted and all the ghosts fled, then he turned to appraise the two crew members, who were looking scared and confused.

Nico walked over and untied Percy. “Well. Tell them our plan so they can report back.” Nico said to Percy and Percy explained to them. He told them to return and tell the crew and that he was leaving them two in charge while he was gone.

“You’ll find her.” Chris told him hopefully before they left. Nico watched as Percy nodded, swallowed and then as they were walking away, he looked at Nico.

“What do we do now, then?” He asked him.

Nico shrugged his shoulders.  “I don’t know. Reyna will most likely be looking for treasure, your treasure that is. If Annabeth has any information she will have probably got it out of her by now. I was due to rendezvous with Reyna and my sister in London in a months time. Until then, we wait.” He looked unaffected by the current drama and worry that was happening in Percy’s life. Dark lashes framed his dark eyes as he looked from Percy then out to the sea.

“We wait?” Percy repeated disappointed. “A whole month?”

“Do you see a better option? Do you have a better idea?” Nico asked him irritably. “We either find their ship, which is what you want to do, but that will only end in bloodshed. Or, we meet up with them in London where it will cause a scene if Reyna pulls a knife out of her pocket. So, I’ll ask you again - Do you have a better idea?”

“No.” Percy said, trying desperately to keep what was left of his dignity intact. “We wait then.” he said. Nico smiled at him, and walked quickly to his cabin. When he got to the door he turned and grinned cheekily.“Are you coming, or do you want to sleep out here in the storm?” the younger pirate asked.

Percy followed reluctantly. What else could he do?

 


	10. The Flying Jupiter - Reyna

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yayyy finally some Reynabeth!

Annabeth talked for a long time, about her life before she became a pirate and how she became a pirate. Reyna learnt that she had run away when she was seven, that she’d joined Luke Castellan’s crew when she was a young girl and that he’d basically been her older brother from then on.  She learnt that Annabeth had met Percy when she was a teenager and they had fallen in love. She learnt that when Luke decided to try his hand at witchcraft, he had left the title of Captain to Percy, because he knew that he’d never hurt Annabeth. She learnt that Annabeth cried for days when Luke killed himself after going too far and that a year before that he’d asked her to run away with him, but she’d said no and she regretted it. Reyna learned that Annabeth loved Percy, but she wasn’t sure how much and that she felt guilt for not saving Luke when she could have.

In return, Reyna told Annabeth something of herself. She told her that she too ran away when she was only a teenager, that her and her sister spent a long time working for the local innkeeper on one of the small islands. She told her that one day, pirates burned the inn to the ground and her sister fled, leaving Reyna with no choice but to join the pirate’s crew. She told her that within four years, she had fought her way to the top and become Captain with her steely glare and demanding nature. Everyone respected her. What Reyna didn’t mention was that Annabeth and Percy were the pirates that burnt the inn to the ground. She doubted Annabeth even remembered.

Annabeth listened intently as Reyna told her story. Reyna hadn’t been intending to tell Annabeth anything about herself, but the girl produced a good story and told Reyna in a lot of detail and Reyna thought it was only fair that she shared her past too. Annabeth voiced her intrigue about how Reyna rose to Captain, all on her own, and Reyna could only tell her more. “I didn’t take any crap from them.” she said. “I put my foot down. The Captain, back then, he liked me. I got the crew on my side as well. Then, when I was sure the crew sided with me more than their own Captain, I proposed he give me his treasure. I wanted to get out of there, find my sister, live my life, instead of being stuck on this stupid ship but he said no. So I killed him in his sleep and the crew helped me. I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. And well, I couldn’t just leave the crew when they trusted me so very much. I decided to stay, but to do things my own way.” Reyna explained.

“Wow.” Annabeth said. “I don’t really know what to say.” She said as she stared at Reyna in awe. The girl was intriguing and Reyna found herself wanting to know everything, every little detail, about her - not for the benefit of her crew and the rewards of whatever treasure Jackson had but because she liked Annabeth, she had become attached to her through their conversation in no way she had ever been attached to someone before. She was attracted to her physique sure, but now she had fallen in love with her mind too - something Reyna rarely did, if at all.

“Don’t say anything.” Reyna whispered, leaning in closer to Annabeth, and then she did something she’d wanted to do ever since Annabeth started talking, possibly ever since she’d seen her on Percy’s ship. She kissed her, and to Reyna’s surprise, Annabeth kissed back. It was passionate and Reyna pulled away breathing heavily as Annabeth stared at her, then smiled, a blush on her cheeks and her face framed with messy blonde curls.

“Why did you kiss me back?” Reyna asked after a minute once she had caught her breath.  “I thought you loved Percy?”

“I did love Percy, I do love Percy . . . but I think I love you too.” she said. “I mean, just everything about you, your determination, your passion, your everything.”

Reyna smiled. “I think I love you.” And Annabeth smiled back, like she was in love.

It was amazing, how they’d only known each other for a day, how Reyna had basically captured Annabeth and yet here she was telling her she was in love with her, and she was saying the same thing back. It was crazy, but then pirates did crazy things. Reyna wouldn’t have thought it believable had she not been in this situation.

“Are you sure you love me?” Reyna asked.

“Yes.” Annabeth replied without missing a beat.

“Do you not want to go back to Percy? Do you want to stay here, with me?” She asked.

“I want both.” Annabeth said, her face conflicted. “I think . . . I might stay here.” She decided. “I mean, I do love Percy so so much, but I’m a pirate.”  She grinned. “I don’t want to settle down yet, I want to have adventures, and besides, I’ve heard debauchery can be very fun.” She smiled mischievously, getting close to Reyna, their noses almost touching.

“You are a true pirate.” Reyna smiled lustfully and she kissed her again, a full, heated, passionate kiss.

 


	11. The Pride of Hades - Percy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this update took so long but I've been away. I promise updates will be more regular in the future! <3

Percy followed Nico into his cabin. His heart was beating double time. His eyes darted around the room as he realised it was very nice and regal, for a pirate ship. It was large, with a deep red sofa and matching arm chairs in one corner, by a mahogany desk filled with bottles of drink of all sorts. In the middle of the room there was a massive double bed, with deep red sheets and a black frame. Nico walked over to the desk and poured two double shots of what Percy thought was probably whisky. Nico held out one of the drinks to Percy and when Percy took it, Nico collapsed into one of the armchairs.

Percy cautiously sat down in the other armchair, across from Nico. “We need to talk.” Nico stated.

Percy just nodded.

“I brought you in here because I didn’t want anyone listening in. We need to sort things out if we are going to work together.” Nico said. Percy could only agree.

Percy looked around the room again, searching for words. There was a small window across from him at the top of the wall, but Percy couldn’t see much out of it. He could only see a clouded sky that was beginning to darken.

“I’m sorry.” Percy said after a long moment of silence and not knowing what to say. “For everything. For your sister, for leaving you alone, for asking you to help me, for everything.” He said, sincerely.

“I thought you were a pirate.” Nico said, a slight smile forming on his lips.

“I am.” Percy said out of reflex.

“Well you’re not a very good pirate.” Nico smirked. “Offering things and saying sorry.”

Percy smiled. “Would you say you’re a good pirate?”

“I would. Some people say I’m too nice but,  I don’t care. I’m certainly enough of an outcast.” Nico admitted, a smile still gracing his lips. Percy wondered what he meant, but he decided to stay safe and not question him on it. “I forgive you.” Nico finally gave in, the smile disappearing from his face.

“Thank you” murmured Percy, because he didn’t know what else to say.

“But know that if you betray me, while I’m trying to help you - you may not get away with your life, nevermind your girlfriend and treasure.” Nico clarified.

“I won’t betray you. I promise - I swear.”

“Good.” Nico said and he stood up. “It’ll be getting dark soon and you’ll need somewhere to sleep.” Nico stated.

“I’ll take bunk with your crew if that’s okay.” Percy offered.

Nico smiled, like he knew something Percy didn’t. “Oh, Percy. Ghosts don’t sleep so I doubt you’ll find bunks down there. You’re welcome to sleep on the floor of course, but I thought you may prefer the loveseat you are currently sitting next to?”

A velvet loveseat did sound better than the floor. “Thank you, Nico.” Percy murmured as Nico left the room.

___

Three weeks later and Percy had learnt a lot about Nico. He noticed that he didn’t sleep much, and when he did he woke up screaming, or breathing heavily or with a cold sweat. After the first week, Percy couldn’t take it anymore. The man sounded in so much pain, he sounded like a scared little boy again, so Percy would climb into bed with him and sit with him rubbing circles on his back until his breathing returned to normal. After another week, Percy would hold him close against his chest and let him listen to the steady beat of his heart, calming him down quickly.

They became close through this, but Nico never wanted to talk about it. Percy supposed he still wanted to look strong - he was a feared pirate captain after all, and if anyone knew he got night terrors so bad he cried all alone in the middle of the night, well, he wouldn’t be as feared anymore. Percy certainly didn’t fear him as much after seeing him at his worst, but Percy knew what nightmares could be like and he didn’t want Nico to have to go through them alone any longer.

Percy wouldn’t dare bring the subject up in the light of day, the moon and stars tended to make people do strange things they wouldn’t usually do - like comfort the ghost king while he cried and screamed in his bed. But Percy was growing to care for Nico di Angelo, whether he was strong, weak or somewhere inbetween. Percy cared - maybe even loved - him for all he was, and he’d like to think Nico felt the same. It was a long shot but he hoped Nico felt the same.

Of course, Percy couldn’t help feeling bad about Annabeth and he was determined he would get her back, but he was beginning to think after all this time away that maybe he didn’t really love her that much, that maybe they were better off as best friends. Percy would never ever ever admit it, but he didn’t miss her as much as he thought he would, he could live without her. He still had to find her.

This inner turmoil went on in his head for days; he was constantly arguing with himself. His brain told him Annabeth but his heart told him Nico. He had once been told a big flaw of his was loyalty, but now, after all that had happened, he wasn’t so sure - if he couldn’t stay loyal to Annabeth, who could he stay loyal too?

“People change.” Nico told him one afternoon when Percy had admitted he wasn’t sure on his feelings about Annabeth anymore, and that he was unsure as to whether loyalty was actually one of his flaws.

“I still want to - I still need to save her though” Percy had clarified.

He didn’t tell Nico why he was unsure on his feelings for Annabeth. He was worried that would be too much for the ever reserved Captain. He wished he could get up the courage to tell him, but Nico was scary, especially when he glared at you and plus, if Nico got mad Percy was the only other living thing on the ship - he had no doubt Nico would kill him if he gave him a reason.

 


	12. The Pride of Hades - Nico

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so sorry updates have been slow. I've been on holiday and in and out and things but I'll try to be more regular now! Enjoy.

Percy was a trusting person, Nico had observed. He was a trustworthy person as well, if he liked you. He definitely wasn’t a good pirate when it came to it and god only knew how he managed to become Captain. He was far too nice to be a pirate, he was more like a Robin Hood, but a pirate - not a medieval hero.

He trusted Nico with almost everything, he told him everything. One day, him and Nico were standing on the deck, watching the sea go by as they sailed, and Percy just said, “I don’t know how I feel about Annabeth anymore. People always say one of my biggest flaws is my loyalty but I don’t know anymore.”

Nico had told him that people change. He’d certainly changed a lot since he was child, watching his sister go off to join a pirate crew, he didn’t tell Percy this though, Percy could see for himself.

Three days later, when it was only five days till they were due to meet up with Reyna and the Flying Jupiter, Nico decided to ask Percy a question that had been rolling around in his mind for at least three weeks if not more.

“What is the treasure you supposedly have?” He asked Percy who was leaning on the wood of the ship, looking out at the horizon.

“A dagger. A jewel encrusted dagger, but I don’t have it. Not yet.” Percy replied, not even looking at Nico.

“You trust me” Nico observed.

“I do.”

“Why?” Nico asked.

“Because you’ve helped me, and I’ve come to know you. You’re worth trusting.” Percy told him. Nico didn’t reply.

Instead he decided to carry on with the subject of treasure. “Do you know where this dagger is?” Nico asked.

“Yes. It’s under the sea.” Percy replied as if this were the most simple thing in the world.

“And how are you going to get it? Do you have a map?”

“I do, not with me. Luke gave me it. He dropped the dagger into the sea years ago after killing himself. It’s cursed. He marked on a map where he dropped it. I hope to find it.”

“But Percy, it’s under the sea.”  Nico told him, his voice of rationality that Percy so desperately needed to hear screaming to break through his thick skull.

“And?” Percy asked.

“How are you going to get it out?”

Percy turned to look at him, a mischievous smile lighting up his face. “Hasn’t anyone told you, I’m the son of the sea god.”

Nico looked at him incredulously. “I wouldn’t believe you, but I will since my father is the namesake of this ship.” He told Percy. “But now back to the dagger” Nico said irritably and quickly as if he didn’t really want Percy to know this information.

“Right, yeah. I plan to find it, once we get Annabeth back. I’d like you to help. You see, this dagger’s very important and very powerful, and if it falls into the wrong hands, well. . . .” Percy trailed off.

“What’ll happen?”

“I don’t know. Something bad. Luke practised dark magic, not like your necromancy but darker things like demon necromancy and possessions and stuff - a lot of his power that he learnt is in that dagger. You have that dagger, you can raise a demon army, you can call on a demon to possess anyone. That’s why we need to find it - and possibly destroy it, or keep it safe.Ideally we need to strip the magic and sell the dagger” Percy explained. “I’ve heard a few people are looking for it, and not many people know it’s there, if they did - i’d worry more. I do know that Gaia, Captain of The Earth Mother wants it bad, and her crew is ruthless. I know that Reyna wants it, but she doesn’t know what she’s looking for yet - well I hope she doesn’t. She might if she has Annabeth.”

“Well let’s hope she doesn’t. Reyna will stop at nothing to get what she wants. I’m surprised she didn’t take you, but perhaps her intentions were to get Annabeth instead.” Nico pondered. “She may help us if we are going up against someone as tough and bad as Gaia. Of course she’d want a reward.”

“Well we’ll give her a reward. We need to do everything we can to stop Gaia or anyone else getting that dagger.” Percy clarified.

“Just how are we going to get it.” Nico muttered.

“I don’t know” Percy sighed. “Reyna may have a few ideas if she gets on board. I may be a son of the sea god but, I’m not that amazing.”

A moment of silence, thinking then “I know someone who can help.” Nico muttered quietly, so quiet Percy almost didn’t hear him. Percy looked at Nico hopefully. “My sister, Hazel.” He said ever so quietly.  "She has a . .  . Special power that may be able to help."

"A special power?" Percy asked. "Where is she?"

"That's why we need Reyna to help. She's part of her crew." Nico explained. "I didn't want her on my ship, it isn't safe for her here but I knew Reyna would look after her. I brought her back from the dead back when the line blurred a while ago and she never got reclaimed. I was worried if she stayed here she would get reclaimed since this is kinda a hotspot for ghosts."

"How can she help us?" Percy asked.

"She can raise jewels so if this dagger is as jeweled as you say it is, she should be able to get it with the flick of a wrist. If it's not, she can navigate underground so you and her would be a good team to send under the sea for it." Nico continued.

Percy nodded then smiled. "Looks like we're gonna get this dagger first."

"If Reyna agrees to help." Nico said cynically.

"Yeah . . . But I think she will. I hope she will." Percy sighed. "I hope we can get Annabeth back too."

"I thought you didn't love her anymore."

"I don't . . . But I still do. I owe it to her to explain. And I need to save her, she might be tied up in the brig on Reyna’s ship for all I know, I still care about her."

"You do owe her an explanation, god you do and me too, why do you not love her anymore?" Nico asked. Percy didn't answer for a while. "Percy?"

"I . . . I think I love you." Percy said, emphasis on the you. Nico stared at him in shock as Percy’s cheeks went slightly red.

"Me . . . You love me?" Nico said incredulously.

"Err yeah." Percy said unsurely. This was the first time Nico had seen Percy look unsure since he told him his sister was dead.

"I love you too." Nico suddenly blurted out. He said it as quick as he could and he looked as if he didn't mean to say it but he couldn't help himself.

"What?" Percy said.

"Don't make me say it again." Nico warned, his expression darkening.

"You love me too?" Percy asked him then he smiled. He took Nicos hand and Nico flinched.

"You should tell Annabeth first." Nico said and pulled his arm away. "You may realise you still love her and get rid of your infatuation with me once you see her again." Nico said, fairly angrily.

"I won't Nico. I know I won't. She'll still be my friend of course but I'm not interested in her as a lover anymore . . . I'm interested in you." Percy told Nico staring into his eyes.

Nico shook his head. "I'm trying not to get hurt by you again, so please cooperate with me." Nico pleaded.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I would never break your heart."

"You might." Nico said quietly and a single tear ran down his cheek. He turned around and solemnly walked off, so that Percy wouldn't see him cry.

He could feel Percy's eyes on his back as he walked away and he resisted the urge to turn around as he walked. He wanted to turn around and run into Percy's arms and cry and kiss and love and be loved but he couldn't, he couldn't. He really couldn't.

He didn't believe that Percy didn't love Annabeth anymore; what was Captain Perseus Jackson without his quartermaster Annabeth Chase? Nico couldn't imagine them without each other.

The ghosts split, allowing him to pass. Nico heard them whispering, but none of them spoke to him. He walked slowly and he reached his cabin. He couldn't resist the urge to turn and look at Percy, and so he did. He looked at him with tears running down his face and a pained expression. Percy looked back at him, like a kicked puppy. "I've always loved you Captain Perseus Jackson" the ghost king whispered. He didn't stay to find out if Percy had heard him. "Since I met you" he sobbed once he was behind closed doors , his back to the door and his hands shaking.

 


	13. London - Reyna

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if I liked how this went or not. You guys can be the judge.

“They are on their way.” Reyna said to no-one in particular.

“Who’s on their way?” Annabeth asked looking over at Reyna curiously. Her and Reyna, along with Hazel Levesque, were sitting in a bar in London, waiting for Nico di Angelo. Reyna and Annabeth were sat on the same bench, their thighs touching and Hazel was sat across from them watching them with her unsettling golden eyes. She had the same unsettling stare that Nico had, but she seemed so much more warm and alive. Nico was probably similar to a reanimated corpse - he didn’t seem to hold much life in him. Reyna supposed it was fitting, being the captain of a ghost ship.

“The ghosts. Their king.” Reyna murmured looking down at her empty glass on the table and swirling the tiny bit of liquid that was left in it. “They’re late.”

“He’s always late.” Hazel sighed. Reyna could tell the poor girl was getting agitated. She knew Hazel always felt doubt as to whether or not Nico would turn up or not. She often seemed as if she doubted Nico loved her. Reyna knew that he did though, Hazel was possibly the only thing alive or dead - aside from Bianca - that Nico loved and he would protect her to the ends of the earth.

A moment later, after the girls had been sitting in silence for a while, the doors to the overcrowded bar swung open and a boy in a long black coat and a sword hanging on his belt walked in, followed by a taller boy wearing a Captains hat and a bead necklace. “He’s brought Jackson.” Reyna hissed. “I knew he would have gone to him for help. of course I didn’t think di Angelo would actually help him but there you go - he’s always surprising us.”

At that moment Annabeth stood up and she ran to Percy. She fell into his arms and she cried, they both cried. He tangled his hand in her hair and he held her as he sobbed into his chest, like two lovers that had lost their love but still longed to see each other again for the bond they had formed before was so strong it could not be completely severed.

“Percy!” she gasped.

“It’s okay. I’m here now” he soothed.

“Why did you bring him?” Reyna asked as Nico approached her.

“Because I agreed to help him find her.” Nico said matter of factly.

“And by betraying me in the process?” Reyna inquired. “What if I want to keep Annabeth Chase all for myself?”

Nico smiled as he sat down. “I don’t think you need to worry about that. I’m not sure Percy is interested in her romantically anymore.”

“Good, because I am.” Reyna smiled cheekily. Nico grinned too.

“Maybe we’ll both get what we want in the end.” Nico smiled and they turned to look at Percy and Annabeth who seemed to be having a serious conversation. Nico tried to hear what they were saying above the noise of the rest of the bar and so did Reyna.

“Annabeth, I think I’ve fallen in love with Nico.” Percy blurted out. “But . . but I still love you just not, not in the same way I did before and I - I still want to be friends and I don’t want this to change anything but I just I . . . I love Nico and I don’t know what to do because I don’t want to hurt you and I thought the best thing would be to tell you and be honest and I’m sorry.” Percy explained, tripping on his words as they rushed out of his mouth. He shook his head. “I don’t want to break Nico’s heart anymore than I want to break yours but . . . I think his has been broken one too many times and I’m trying to fix that, if I can. I can’t just leave him now. Not when I love him like this.”

Annabeth put her hand over his to stop him fidgeting. “Seaweed brain. Shut up. I understand.” She looked down at their hands, her blonde eyelashes just brushing her cheek. “I fell in love with Reyna, it was fast and it was unexpected and I didn’t even think you could fall so completely in love with someone that fast no matter how amazing they were but I did. And I am so glad that you’ve found Nico because somehow it makes this a tiny bit easier. I’m still going to miss you and it’s still going to hurt but I think Reyna is better for me, and I think Nico’s better for you too and we’re still best friends and I still love you and I’ll always love you - but I’ve moved on and” She smiled at Percy. “By the looks of it you have too.”

“I’ll always love you too.” Percy said, tucking a stray strand of curly blonde hair behind Annabeth's ear. “We’re happier this way, right?” He asked.

“Right.” Annabeth said very quietly.

Finally they walked over and sat with Nico, Hazel and Reyna. Annabeth scooted in next the Reyna and they laced their fingers together. Percy sat next to Nico, but gave him some space.

“Are we going to tell them?” Percy asked Nico.

“I don’t see another way to get it.” Nico replied.

“Okay.” Percy drummed his fingers on the wooden table top and looked at Reyna. “We need your help. You wanted our treasure and you have a chance to help us find it. It is so utterly important we find this treasure.”

“Why is it so important, and why do you need my help?” Reyna asked, her tone firm after a beat of silence.

“Because we can’t do it alone.” Percy said solemnly. “We need the best pirates of this age, and you are one of them.”

“And we need Hazel’s help.” Nico finished.

“You didn’t answer my first question.” Reyna stated, not giving anything away in her voice or her expression.

Percy leaned in close and whispered. “I’d prefer for no-one to overhear, save us five. It’s not safe here.” Reyna nodded brusquely and stood up.

“I know a place not far from here.” she said, and the other four pirates followed her out. She led them through three streets and into a little house that looked like a fabric shop. They went through into the back where there was a small table and around it there were about seven stools. She closed the door and bolted it, then gestured for everyone to sit down. When everyone was seated, she sat herself. “Tell me about your treasure Perseus Jackson.”

Percy looked at Annabeth. “I thought you would have told her.”

“I couldn’t get it out of her.” Reyna smiled. “I managed to win her heart though. I think that counts for something.” She smiled and Annabeth leaned up to give her a quick peck on the lips.

 


	14. London - Nico

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so sorry this took so long to update. I've been away but I'm gonna upload lots for you to make up for it <3

Nico surveyed the room as they walked in. A plain room with a wooden floor and off white walls. No threats. “Are you going to tell me then?” Reyna asked Percy and Percy looked at Nico. Nico nodded and then he looked at Annabeth. Annabeth nodded.

“It’s a dagger. A jewel encrusted dagger.” Percy confessed.

“Is it worth a lot?” Hazel asked.

Percy looked at her. “More than you think it is. This dagger is cursed. Do you remember Captain Luke Castellan?” Percy asked.

Hazel shook her head but Reyna said “Vaguely. He was Captain before you.He killed himself.” she stated.

Annabeth nodded. “After dabbling in black magic.”

Reyna looked at her. “Like Nico and Hazel here?”

Percy shook his head. “Nothing like Nico and Hazel. Darker, much darker, and he didn’t know how to control it. It was dangerous and ended in him losing his life before others could be lost. But others were lost.” Percy told her solemnly.

Nico spoke up. “We know our powers and their limits. We were born with some of them and we have mastered others. Luke wasn’t born with any, he tried to master them but too many and too quickly. Dark magic takes time and you have to start from the bottom. Luke tried to start from the top. And if there is anything I have learnt in my years of necromancy, it is never, ever go into demon necromancy or possessions.”  He explained.

“I did once, when I was young. My mother was possessed by an evil spirit and it killed her. I never did it again.” Hazel said, looking down at the table all of a sudden. Nico put a hand on her shoulder to reassure her. She shook him off and wiped a tear from her eye before steeling her expression.

“It happened to Luke’s mother too, when he first started dealing in black magic. It is very very dangerous and if the wrong person gets their hands on the cursed blade, well - I don’t know what will happen.” Nico continued. “We need your help to find it, because we can’t do it on our own. We can’t let the the whole crew know, they’re not trustworthy enough. We need your best, only one or two but we need them and we certainly need you.”

“There’s us five, if you’re in and I know a girl who will most likely help.” Percy smiled, looking at Annabeth as he did so. “She knows about the maps too.”

“Thalia?” Annabeth asked and Percy nodded.

“I have a boy who will agree to help.” Reyna said. “I’m in. But, what is the pay cut?” She asked.

“A seventh of whatever we can get for the dagger once we strip the magic. It should be a lot, and it will definitely be worth it.” Percy told her. She nodded, as if she was pleased with his answer.

“I’m in too.” Hazel said.

“Let’s go find this dagger then.” Percy smiled.

“Do you have maps?” Hazel asked.

Annabeth nodded. “Hidden. We’ll need to find them first.”

Reyna looked at her in alarm. “Don’t worry, I know where they are.” Annabeth reassured.

“How many ships are we taking?” Nico asked.

“One, I think. That would be best, if we are going to work as a team.” Percy decided.

“Whose? I’m happy to offer my ship, the ghosts can vacate easily.” Nico explained.

“Yours it is then.” Reyna confirmed. “I’ll sort my crew out and meet you on the docks in an hour. Is the girl you intend to have help us nearby?” She asked.

Annabeth nodded. “I know where to find her.”

“Okay. You and Percy find her, I’ll go to my ship, Nico and Hazel, get supplies and order your ghosts away.” Reyna demanded. This was going to be difficult with three captains on board, but it was needed. Everyone nodded and they dispersed.

Nico and Hazel walked with Reyna back to the Thames. They were posing as merchant ships, but everyone knew pirates sailed the waters, they just hoped the wrong person didn’t notice. London was busy, so it was unlikely they would - they had more important things to look out for in a big city like this. Looking at the city, Nico longed for Venice, where he was from, but he knew going back there would only cause him pain. London was better; the sea was better.

Eventually they reached the ships, parked alongside each other. Reyna boarded The Flying Jupiter and Nico and Hazel boarded The Pride of Hades. They could hear Reyna’s shouts and orders from here.

“Do you know who she’s going to bring?” Nico asked Hazel.

“I think it might be Jason, but I’m not sure. They had a thing once, but it didn’t last long. He’s her quartermaster, he’s very trustworthy.”

“Jason Grace?” Nico asked.

“Yes.”

“She’s told me about him. Well behaved, I hear.” Nico smirked. “But he apparently has a streak for breaking the rules every now and again. I heard he has a Hero complex, like Jackson.”

There was a moment of silence as Nico summoned his crew and drew his sword. “I command you to leave, and do not return to this ship until I say you can do so.” Then he put his sword back in it’s sheath and turned to Hazel. “Now we wait for the others.” He smiled.

“Nico?” Hazel asked after a while, when Nico was sat with his back against the mast pole and Hazel was sat crosslegged across from him. “What’s going on with you and Percy?” she asked.

Nico sighed. “I don’t honestly know.”

Hazel looked at him, until he started speaking again, clearly waiting for him to go on. “I fell in love with him the moment I saw him all those years ago, then he told me my sister was dead and I felt as if it was his fault. But I couldn’t hate him, because I loved him. But I did hate him because I knew that what I felt for him was wrong. I hated myself, too. That’s why I distanced myself, out here with the ghosts. I felt free. And being a pirate captain, it feels good, it’s fun. There’s no restrictions. But then Percy showed up and asked for my help and how could I say no? So I helped him,and I fell in love with him all over again after not seeing him for so long, and he told me he loved me too. And now I don’t know what to do because I’m not afraid of many things but I’m afraid he’ll break my heart.” Nico confessed.

“I don’t think he’ll break your heart. He seems like a good guy.” Hazel reassured Nico.

“He’s not a very good pirate.” Nico snorted. “More for helping people than stealing their treasure.”

“But he’s a good person. He looks at you like he loves you. He looks at you like he wants you to love him.” Hazel told Nico softly.

All Nico could do was nod. “I think I’m in love with him. I really think I am.” He blushed slightly.

Hazel smiled. “And I think he’s in love with you too.” Nico smiled back.

“Maybe there’s hope for us yet.” Nico said, a bittersweet smile on his face.

“Maybe.” Hazel whispered. “If you can bring me back from the dead, you can do anything.”

They sat there for a while, just enjoying each others company. It was a treat they so rarely got. Nico loved Hazel more than anything in the world, but he was worried about letting her on this mission or whatever it was. It was going to be dangerous, and it looked like she and Percy were the centre of the plan. He didn’t want her to get hurt, that’s why she was part of Reyna’s crew and not his. He knew Reyna could look after her, but he couldn’t. She could look after herself well enough, but Nico got worried, she was only young.

***

Reyna arrived at exactly the same time as Percy and Annabeth, ten minutes late. It looked like they had been together some time. With them was a tall blond boy, with a small scar on his lip. Next to him was a similar looking black haired girl with lots of freckles. Nico could see they were related, but to someone not as perceptive, they wouldn’t notice anything. “Nico, Hazel, meet the Grace siblings.”

“Siblings?” Hazel almost choked.

Reyna nodded. “We didn’t know they were related either.” she sighed.

“I thought Jason was long dead.” the girl, Thalia, said. She held out her hand. “I’m Thalia, by the way.”

“You’re not a pirate.” Nico said narrowing his eyes at her.

“No.” she said. “I’m a highwaygirl.” She smiled. “I still know how to steal treasures, I just do it on the land.” She narrowed her eyes. “You can steal treasure, right?” she asked

“Of course I can, why do you think I’m a pirate Captain?” Nico shook her hand. “Welcome aboard.” He smiled. “I’m Nico di Angelo.”

“Oh, I’ve heard a lot about you. I knew your sister.” Thalia said. Nico looked down, he didn’t like where this conversation was going. “She wanted to join our Highway gang, but she was too young. She said she was going to look for some pirates if she couldn’t be a highway girl. Where is she now?” So Thalia didn’t know.

A moment of silence and darkness fell over the ship. “She’s dead.” Nico spat, and he turned around and walked off, into his room. He slammed the door rather loudly, and the six people stood on deck flinched at the sound. They all looked at each other, shocked at how quickly Nico could change moods. Percy may be used to this now, but the others weren’t.


	15. The Pride of Hades - Hazel

“Don’t worry about it, he gets like this sometimes.” Hazel smiled at Thalia and Jason who looked fairly alarmed at Nico’s sudden outburst. Hazel, unfortunately, knew what he could be like. “It’s probably because you mentioned Bianca, he’s still not over it.” She explained. “I don’t think he’ll ever be over it, poor thing.”

“He’ll be fine. I’ll go talk to him.” Percy said, and he ran off to console Nico.

Hazel worried for Nico so much sometimes. He was so vulnerable, but so strong at the same time. He let words hurt him too much, and he still wasn’t over Bianca. She hoped Percy could put some sense into him. She really hoped Percy loved her brother as much as he seemed too.

“So, why are we here?” Thalia asked, snapping back from the shock quickly, and looking like she was trying to raise everyone’s spirits after Nico’s moodswing.

“You haven’t told them?” Hazel asked, slightly shocked that they’d come anyway.

Thalia shook her head, at the same time Jason said “No.”

“We need you to help us find something.” Annabeth said. “Percy and Nico know the exact plan in detail, but we can tell you the basics. I have a feeling you may already know what this is about.” Annabeth said to Thalia.

“Luke’s dagger.” she said. Annabeth nodded to confirm it.

“You knew Luke?” Reyna asked in surprise.

“I did.” Thalia confessed. “I knew him well, but that’s a story for another time and another place. Tell me why you need it.”

“Gaia and her crews are looking for it. We can’t let them get it, as they would most surely release the magic and cause chaos. We need to find it first and strip the magic before anyone else can use it. We don’t want the end of the world to happen in our lifetimes.” Reyna explained.

“And I’m the only one who knows where the maps are.” Thalia said.

Annabeth nodded. “I know vaguely where they are, but not exactly. You do.”

Thaila nodded. “I’ll help. I’m not used to being at sea but I think I’ll manage.” She grinned.

“Why do you need me?” Jason asked.

“Do you think six of us can do this? We’ll need at least parties of two going anywhere, three would be ideal and we need at least two to watch over the ship. We need trustworthy men and women who will not speak a word of what we are doing. We need talented pirates, and you fit the bill perfectly.” Reyna explained.

Jason nodded. “I’m in.” Just like that. Hazel could tell he trusted Reyna a lot. She knew they had known each other for a long, long time. They had had a thing a few years back, but now they were just best friends. Hazel had to admit, there was still some sexual tension between them, even if Reyna was with Annabeth now. “Let’s do this.”

And it was that easy. “Let’s just hope Nico’s not in a bad mood the whole trip. Then it would be difficult.” Hazel said

“Is Nico a difficult person?” Jason asked.

“Not usually, but he’s . . . tedious. He has a rough past and he doesn’t like it being brought up . . . he’s messed up but he’ll be fine; he just snaps quickly and you never know when it’s going to happen. He won’t hurt you though, he wouldn’t hurt a fly. It’s all a charade - the big scary pirate thing. Oh, and if he says something mean, he doesn’t mean it - you’ve just done something that’s pissed him off. Don’t tell him I told you, but really he’s a massive softie.” Hazel explained.

“So, he’s harmful?”

“To us, no. Get on the wrong side of him, betray him, and yes, he is very very harmful.” Hazel told them. They all nodded. “And remember, this is his ship. His rules or it may end badly for you.He decides he doesn’t like you and you’re in trouble.” They nodded again, even Reyna.

 


	16. The Pride of Hades - Percy

Percy opened the doors gently and shut them gently, trying not to make a sound in the already silent room. “Are you okay?” he whispered, knowing he was treading on water with Nico like this.

Nico was standing in the corner, looking at an old photograph. “Yeah. I just - I didn’t want to talk about her. The memories of her, they’re bittersweet but more, much more pain of losing her than the happiness of the times that we spent together. The - the memories are all I have and I miss her and I can’t help but remember the bad stuff. H-how she left me.” His voice was shaky with his tears.

Percy nodded as Nico turned around to look at him. “Are you really in love with me?” He asked, completely changing the subject, Percy guessed he really didn’t want to talk about Bianca. There were tears in Nico’s eyes as he looked at Percy, his face contorted in sadness.

“Yes.” Percy told him without missing a beat, knowing it was the truth and exactly what Nico needed to hear. “Do you really love me ?” He asked, because he needed to hear it too, he may be a fearless pirate captain, but he still had his doubts especially when it came to love and Nico di Angelo. Nico had always been a complicated part of his life, ever since he had met him and his sister and even more so now, but the knots were unravelling themselves and instead of tying them together and forcing them to get along, having them stretch the ropes when they were running away from each other as they were for so long, the two boys were desperately trying to tie the ropes together again and hold each other closer than ever before. Instead of trying to unite the ropes of their fate that bound them together, they were strengthening them and Percy realised in that moment that that was what they had both needed all along, not the other way round like they had thought.

“Yes.” repeated Nico. “I do. I have for a long time.” he said, taking a step towards Percy. Percy’s heart started to beat faster and he closed his eyes as Nico came closer. Suddenly Nico was right in front of him and his lips were on his and it felt so amazing, and Percy’s hands were tangled in Nico’s messy hair, and Nico’s hands were on Percy’s chest. Nico’s hands went a little lower to rest on Percy’s stomach and then they were on his back pulling him closer. Percy melted into the kiss and he ran his hands down Nico’s neck and back, embracing the feeling. It all happened so fast in a blur of love and passion and Percy never wanted it to end. He never wanted to be void of the feeling of Nicos soft lips on his or his hands over his body. He never wanted to take his hands out of Nico’s hair or not feel Nico pressed up against him melting into him.

The kiss was hot but gentle and Percy loved every second of it, but too soon, Nico pulled away. “We should set off, find these maps.” He whispered the giving Percy a chaste peck on the lips to final the kiss.

“I know but isn’t this more fun?” Percy asked, a smile on his face.

“Do you want the dagger or not?” Nico asked, so close that Percy could feel his warm breath on his face.

“I want the dagger.” Percy said, and with that they left the room together to set sail and find the treasure. What he didn’t say was that he possibly wanted Nico much much more than any dagger, but if they didn’t get the dagger soon maybe no-one would be able to have anyone - as they might cease to exist. So dagger first, Nico second. Saving the best for last shall we say.

 


	17. The Pride of Hades - Reyna

Percy and Nico finally came out of the cabin a few minutes later. “We need to set sail.” Nico said before anyone could say anything about the state of his hair or Percy’s clothes. “Where will we find the maps?” he asked, looking at Annabeth, who had been stood talking to Reyna.

“Venice.” Thaila said. The telescope Nico had been holding and about to fix onto his belt clattered to the ground as if Thalia’s answer took him by surprise. His eyes widened.

“Venice?” he asked, shock evident on his face. Thalia nodded. “Are you sure?” Nico asked. She nodded again. There was a moment of silence and tension until Nico decided “Venice it is then.”, looking displeased that this was the case. Percy flicked his hand and the ropes untied and the ship started moving. He looked over to Nico, a concerned look in his eyes but he didn’t press Nico on the matter.

Reyna stared at him dumbstruck. Percy shrugged his shoulders. “If we’re going to do this together, no secrets.” he said and smiled. “We need to be at the best of our ability and move quickly.”

“No secrets.” Reyna repeated, then she whispered so low that only Percy and Annabeth, who were now standing next to her, could hear “Though I’ll bet di Angelo’s got a few up his sleeve.” Reyna wouldn’t fully admit it, but she was fairly worried about being on a ship with Nico di Angelo for however long it took to complete this mission. He was a very mysterious person and even though she had known him for a long time now, she had the feeling that she didn’t know who he really was - she had only just scratched the surface and she had a feeling that was all she would ever do.

“He’s the exception. I don’t think it’ll harm us not knowing.” Percy said, trying to protect Nico. He knew most of his secrets were personal, about his family and his past.

“It might. You never know.” Reyna said, she didn’t know much about the boy but she knew he could be very very dangerous when he wanted to be.

“I thought you knew him.” Annabeth asked in a hushed tone.

“I do, but no-one knows him well. Not even Hazel.” Reyna replied.

“I think knowing Nico di Angelo well might be an impossible feat. I’m going to try though.” Percy smirked.

“Good luck with that then.” said Annabeth.

“Thanks, I think I’m gonna need it.” Percy said as he looked over at where Nico was standing talking to Hazel. Reyna could see in Percy’s eyes that he loved Nico dearly, and by the looks of it Nico loved Percy dearly too - it was just a matter of trust now. Her and Annabeth now trusted each other completely and absolutely, Reyna could see that Percy and Nico were still getting there.

***

Eventually they arrived in Venice after a long voyage over the mediterranean. Thalia had been seasick three times - she wasn’t used to being at sea. Nico had been pretty touchy the whole journey and him and Percy still hadn’t spat out their miraculous plan. Reyna suspected that it was because they hadn’t really formulated a proper plan. They shouldn’t have left them two to sort out a plan. For all Reyna knew about them it was likely that they argued every time they discussed anything important.

Reyna had spent a lot of the journey with Annabeth, just spending time together. Annabeth loved to read and Nico had a lot of books on board, so Reyna and Annabeth would spend time with Reyna sat against the walls of the ship and Annabeth’s head on her lap, a book in her hands. Reyna would run her fingers through Annabeth’s curls content to just be together. Sometimes Annabeth would read to her and doing this Reyna would fall in love over and over again, everytime she ran her long fingers through her hair, or every time Annabeth spoke her name to ask if she was still listening.

Everytime Annabeth put her book down, open face down on her stomach, Reyna would take in the features of her face that made her so perfectly beautiful. Her sparkling grey eyes, framed with long blonde lashes, her high cheekbones and her full pink lips. Annabeth would study Reyna too. Her long brown hair that fell so nicely, her dark skin and darker eyes. Her sweet smile and her stern frown.

There was no doubt they loved each other. Reyna sometimes felt bad for stealing Annabeth from Percy but then she would remember he had Nico now, and anyway Annabeth fell in love with her too. “I love you.” Annabeth would murmur when a moment of sweet silence fell upon them.

“I love you too.” Reyna would whisper, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. This was the best kind of love Reyna thought. A sweet, gentle, steady, but passionate love. Not a wild burst of unstable lust that was over in a night like all the other lovers she’d had before were.

 


	18. Venice - Nico

The sun was shining when he stepped onto the deck to survey the situation. It was strange having only living people on the ship instead of all ghosts. He didn’t like it because people asked you questions and always wanted to know what you were doing and where you were going, but ghosts kept to themselves and let you keep to yourself unless you wanted a conversation. Nico prefered it that way. The ghosts never asked him why he screamed in the night and why he sat up in the crows nest all the time even though he was captain. People however did.

The one person that hadn’t asked why he screamed in the night yet, was Percy, and Nico respected that, he was glad of that. He felt weak, when he woke up screaming in the early hours of the morning because of some night terror he couldn’t contain, and having to admit to it made it worse. Having to tell people about them made it so so so much worse, he didn’t feel like a feared pirate captain when he was admitting he was still haunted from the years he spent alone on the ghost ship, as a teenager under Captain Minos - also a ghost. He was still haunted from the sea monsters that would plague the ship and the battles he fought with his sword and gun. He was still haunted by the fact that Bianca left him and died, he still had so many questions, was she in pain? What happened? Did she mind dying? And so many more.

But even just thinking about the past made his chest constrict and his heart beat so fast it felt like it had stopped. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could see the coastline of Italy close but he was dreading going there, the memories were only going to get worse. Of Bianca, of his mother - the memories blurry but still painful, painful that he couldn’t remember her exact voice when she sang to him, or the warmth of her when she picked him up and held him, or the beautiful patterns that weren’t ever that exciting of her faded dresses when Nico followed her down the crowded streets. They were painful because he missed her too, he missed them both and it was painful because he couldn’t have them back.

Eventually they reached Venice. Annabeth made the orders stood by Reyna’s side their fingers laced together. Nico wished it was that easy for him and Percy, to just put their hands together and love each other, but it wasn’t. It would never be easy because they had such a turbulent past and Nico was so reserved and guarded. Plus, how would Percy react if he just intertwined their fingers together there and then, how would anyone else react? He didn't know and that’s why he didn't do it. He’d leave it up to Percy to make the first move - if he really loved him, he would.

“Thalia and I will get the maps. Percy, Reyna and Nico, you are to stay and watch the ship - no arguments. Hazel and Jason, I want you to get supplies to keep us going for however long it will take us to find this dagger. Try and be back by sunset.” She ordered, and with that her and Thalia left. Nico went to leave as well, but Percy put a hand on his arm to stop him.

“Where are you going? We’re supposed to stay on the ship.” Percy hissed.

“I thought you were Captain, only follow your own rules, remember that?” Nico spat.

“Yes I do, but I respect Annabeth’s decision and if we are going to work together on this we need to put aside our differences and status and work together - like proper Pirates work together when need be.” Percy explained. Reyna was looking at them and so were Hazel and Jason halfway to the edge of the ship where the boarding plank was.

“Well I have something I need to do. Alone.” Nico said and stormed off. He wasn’t going to let Percy stop him, he needed to do this and he didn’t care what the others thought. He was going to do something for himself for once, not for his crew, not for Percy, not for anyone else.

 


	19. Venice - Percy

He didn’t know why Nico was being so mysterious with him. Nico was always mysterious and would always be mysterious but he had been acting strangely ever since Annabeth mentioned Venice. He wanted to know what was going on with that boy, because he loved him. Whenever he thought of him something happened to his heart, whenever Nico looked at him, smiled at him, something happened in his heart. He wanted to figure him out. He wanted Nico to let him love him, and he wanted to be loved back.

“Hazel, Jason, I want you to follow Nico. Find out where he’s going.” Percy said.

“Do you not trust him?” Reyna asked.

“I . . . I do trust him, I just want to know why he’s acting so strange. I - I’m worried about him.” Percy justified.

“Well I’m not sure I trust him.” Jason said.

“You can trust Nico. I promise.” Hazel said and Percy nodded, agreeing with her.

“Well, if he sabotages this - it’s on you Miss Levesque.” Reyna made clear.

“Aye Captain.” Hazel saluted, and with that her and Jason went off to follow Nico.

Once they were gone, Percy turned to Reyna. She looked fierce in her long coat and white blouse with beads loosely round her neck and rings in her ears, a Captains hat on her head and a braid over her shoulder. Percy was almost scared of her. “Do you trust Nico?” He asked her.

She didn’t answer straight away but when she did, she said, “I don’t know. I didn’t before, but then he came to me and he trusted me with his sisters life. I think I do, from what I’ve seen of him - he is very trustworthy if you can get him on your side, which you have.” Reyna explained. “Do you really trust him?”

“I do. I think I’m in love with him.” Percy said, not looking at Reyna. “But I don’t know what to do.” Reyna looked at him expecting more, so Percy carried on. “he said he loves me, and I kissed him . . . but what do I do now?” He asked mainly to himself.

“Keep loving him.” Was Reyna’s answer, and she walked off calmly, too look out at the other ships nearby. “Maybe one day he will show you he loves you back.” She called over her shoulder.

Percy was left to ponder this by himself, he sat down against the pole that held the crows nest, took his hat off and he thought. He thought about what a mess his life had become, about how he had it planned - then he suddenly got drafted into the life of a pirate, how he met Annabeth and they became best friends. Everything that happened with Luke and how his and Annabeths relationship progressed. He thought about the day he became Captain of Poseidions Pearl, how it became his ship and how from that day forward he knew everything would be okay no matter what.

Now, it wasn’t okay. He thought about the massive task they had ahead of them and how Annabeth had fallen in love with Reyna at the same time he and Nico had fallen in love. He thought about the day Reyna kidnapped Annabeth which seemed so long ago but wasn’t really and he thought about the day he told Nico his sister was dead and that that was the day the poor boys life turned upside down. He thought about all those years Nico had spent alone and how he could make it better, how he wanted to make it better, but how Nico wouldn’t let him.

These thoughts spiralled until suddenly Percy was asleep and dreaming. He dreamt of the life him and Nico could have and the adventures they could go on together and the greatness they could be if Nico would just let him in, but maybe, he’d have to let Nico in first.

 


	20. Venice - Hazel

They followed Nico off the ship and into Venice. He took a long winding path with lots of twists and turns blending into the crowd of venetians perfectly with his long black coat and hat. Hazel and Jason had to hide behind a house at one point when he looked back but other than that they went undetected. Hazel felt a little bad for spying on her brother like this, but like Percy, she was worried about what was bothering him. Maybe this little detour would give them some answers.  

Eventually Nico reached a small flower shop and he went in. He came out a few minutes later with a bunch of beautiful flowers, the type you might lay on a loved ones grave, Hazel didn’t know what they were but they were pretty. "What's he doing?" She hissed to Jason. They were watching Nico from across the streets few buildings down. They followed Nico through a few more cramped streets going into a more residential area and finally the buildings started to thin out and the space was more open. Hazel could finally see the clouded sky above her instead of close packed roofs and washing hung out on lines to dry.

Hazel could see some big black iron gates patterned with intricate designs up above, and beyond them a graveyard with hundreds of lines of gravestones. She heard the creak of the gates as Nico opened and closed them as quietly as he could. Hazel and Jason stayed where they were watching from afar.

They watched him walk a few feet into the graveyard on the path until he reached a big grey grave, that looked fairly simple and he sat down in front of it laying the flowers down at the foot. He put his hand on the top of the gravestone and he bowed his head. Hazel had a feeling he was saying something but they couldn't hear him. Hazel wondered whose grave it was, she couldn’t see the writing on it from here. By the actions a of Nico, she could tell it was someone he once loved.

"Maybe we should leave him too it." Hazel whispered to Jason knowing that Nico should be left alone to do whatever he was doing, knowing she wouldn’t like it if it was him spying on her. Jason nodded and they went to gather supplies. They didn't speak, mostly thinking over why Nico had been at the graveyard and whose grave it was. Why was it in Venice?

When they got back to the ship, they waited for Annabeth and Thalia then told them what they saw. They were lucky that Nico didn’t come back until much later. Hazel feared what would happen if Nico came back and heard them talking about him, he didn’t like people knowing personal things about him. Hazel loved Nico so much but she wished he would open up a bit, let someone other that Bianca -who was long dead - in.

 


	21. The Pride of Hades - Percy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh more than 100 kudos. I am so so happy. Here is some more, enjoy :)
> 
> This chapter is fairly short but I am uploading a few chapters at a time to sate your thirst. I just want to keep each POV change as a separate chapters so yeah :)

Nico returned just after sundown when the stars were coming out. He was late and he had a scowl on his face. Reyna and Hazel tried to ask him why but he walked straight past them and into his room. Percy followed him. He could tell something was wrong, and if what Hazel and Jason had told them, Percy could guess something was very wrong. Not physically, but maybe emotionally and Percy wanted to help Nico and show him that he was there for him.

Percy shut the door quietly and asked “What’s wrong?” In a hushed voice.

Nico had his back to him, but at the sound of his voice he turned round. His eyes were full of pain, and he looked at Percy for a moment then, he broke down into tears. His sobs were awful sobs, broken sobs that made your heart wrench when you heard someone cry like that - especially if it was someone you loved.

“Come ‘ere” Percy beckoned and Nico did. He walked straight into his arms and buried his face in Percy’s chest. He cried and cried and cried and Percy soothed him, rubbing reassuring circles on his back. Percy hated seeing people like this.

Percy dragged him towards the bed and they sat, Nico crying into Percy's thin cotton shirt. “Are you gonna tell me what’s wrong?” Percy asked in a hushed, gentle tone.

Nico shook his head. Then he pulled away from Percy, wiped his eyes and straightened his jacket. “We’re never gonna get anything done if we sit here crying all day.” He said. “I’m the captain of this ship, I have to set it going. This, whatever it is will have to wait.” He said flailing his arms around. He walked towards the door of the room, and opened both of them and the wind blew in, blowing his long jacket out like a cape behind him. Nico turned back to Percy and smiled, but it was a smile that didn’t reach his eyes - a fake smile put on only for Percy and the others to try and convince them he was okay when he wasn’t - and he announced “Let’s go get this damned dagger before anyone else.” Percy could still see the red rimming his eyes from his tears.

Percy followed him out into the night and up to the helm where the steering wheel was. “I take it you know how to steer a pirate ship.” Nico asked Percy.

Percy nodded. “I do. I’m not captain for nothing you know.”

“Oh, I know. Just testing you.” Nico disclosed.

Percy smiled. “I don’t know where we’re going yet. Annabeth and Thalia never showed us the maps.”

“Well, I think a meeting is in order. Round everyone up and tell them to come into my cabin so we can study the maps and decide what we’re doing.” Nico ordered, clearly struggling to stop his voice from shaking after crying.

Percy saluted. “Yes Captain.” He said in mock seriousness mainly to cheer Nico up.

Nico smiled, a real smile then he playfully punched him in the arm. “Stop being stupid Jackson.” Percy smiled back.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave comments on how you found it! There is nothing I like more and I reply to all comments (even if it takes me a while) :)


	22. The Pride of Hades - Nico

“I’ll see you in a minute.” Percy laughed and went to find the others. Nico walked back to his cabin slowly with a grin on his face. He really did love Percy. He could feel his heart squeeze when he made Percy laugh, when they were alone together. He would never admit it but he liked the way Percy would always comfort him when something was wrong, the way Percy would hold him and whisper in his ear calming him down when he screamed in the night. He loved the way that he didn’t care about letting his emotions show with Percy like he would anyone else and he loved that he could feel in front of Percy and Percy wouldn’t think any less of him as a person, or even a captain. Anyone else would if they saw how the Ghost Kings night terrors ripped him to shreds.

Nico poured himself a drink and sat down in a chair. He swirled the drink in the glass and he stared at it, fixated on the ripples of the coloured water, when the door opened and Percy came in followed by Annabeth, Reyna, Jason, Hazel and Thalia - who was carrying a rolled up map.

Nico cleared the coffee table in front of him and hoped it was big enough for the map. It was a big coffee table so it should be. It was. Thalia laid the map out on it and Reyna pinned it down with empty whisky glasses.

It was a simple map from what Nico could see by just glancing at it. Thalia pointed to a place near the edge of the map, on the left side about ⅔ of the way down. “We’re here.” She said. She then pointed to the big black X in the middle of the map. “The dagger, is there.” She looked up at each one of the faces staring down at her. “You’re going to have to help me with reading the maps as I’m not used it.”

Percy nodded. “We seem to be about 50 miles away from the island right next to the dagger. I say we land there and see if the story of the underground tunnels is true. The dagger seems close enough to the island that it could be.”

“Perhaps the locals will have some knowledge.” Reyna supplied.

“I would hope so.” Annabeth interjected. Nico hoped so too.

Nico continued looking at the map. There was writing round the edge but he couldn’t quite make it out. It was in black cursive, and he couldn’t tell if it was in English or not. Looking closer he decided it was English. “There’s writing round the edge.” He stated, pointing to where it seemed to start. Everyone looked to where his pale bony finger pointed.

Annabeth leaned in close. “Those who dare, shall surely find. A dagger to cause nightmare, and dark spells within to bind. I warn you not to go, for dangerous things await. Don’t go slow, it’s waiting for it’s bait.” Annabeth muttered, reading the writing.

“What’s waiting?” Jason asked.

“His ghost.” Nico said, his eyes off in the distance. “And the ghosts of those he got killed. Along with the sea monsters that helped them with their mutiny. We could probably avoid them.”

“Luke did a lot of things but he never betrayed us.” Annabeth said, throwing her dagger into the table in frustration, glaring at Nico.

Percy put a hand on her shoulder. “He left me for dead.” Thalia muttered. “Good job I can escape prison buses” She smiled bittersweetly. “Or I would have been hanged long ago.”

Nico glared at Annabeth, then looked at Thalia. “I don’t want arguments, not about Luke Castellan. Not about anything. We’re going to go in, get this dagger then part ways and carry on sailing the seas looking for our own treasure. I don’t want to know about the time you almost got hanged or the time Luke never betrayed you. I want to know why he cursed the dagger and why he hid it - so if you know that, please tell us.” Nico’s voice was deadly quiet and demeanor calm which was more scary than if he’d shouted. The room went silent.

Reyna smiled. “Let’s work out how we’re going to do this.” She said after a while of just staring at each other. “Any ideas?” She asked.

“I say we go to the island and ask the locals about the dagger, see if they know anything. Then decide on a plan.” Jason supplied.

“I second Jason.” Hazel said. “Who else agrees, raise your hand.”

Reyna, Nico, Percy, Hazel and Jason raised their hands. “Do you have a better plan?” Nico asked Annabeth and Thalia.

Annabeth shook her head. “What if the locals are hostile. We are pirates.”

“I’ve been there before.” Jason said. “When I lost my memory. A local girl took me in and took care of me until Reyna found me. We can trust her.”

“You haven’t seen her in three years, are you sure?” Reyna asked.

Jason nodded. “I spent enough time there to know Reyna.” Nico thought he heard bitterness and resentment in his tone. There was a lot of tension in the room.

“We head for the island at daybreak then.” Nico decided. “If you don’t agree you can walk the plank.” He deadpanned. “I don’t want anyone slowing us down because they don’t agree.”

Everyone swallowed in fear. “Percy, you know where to go from the map?” Nico asked, looking at Percy for the first time since the whole crew had gathered.

Percy nodded. “I can set the course.”

Everyone got up to leave then, apart from Percy and Nico. When the last of them had shut the door Percy sat on the seat next to Nico and looked at his face. Nico looked straight ahead of him. Percy stroked his hand down the side of Nico’s cheek and Nico reached to put his hand over Percy’s. They both let go after a minute and looked at each other. Nico stared into Percy’s eyes with his dark brown eyes, the eyes that held a glint of genius madness in them.

 


	23. The Pride of Hades - Jason

Jason walked out of Nico’s cabin along with the rest of them. He noticed that Percy had stayed behind. He knew there was something going on between the two of them, but he didn’t know exactly what. He wouldn’t dare ask Nico, Nico was one of the scariest Pirates he’d ever met, including Reyna. Little did Jason know, Nico had a heart of gold. He wouldn’t dare ask Percy either, the others could say what they wanted about Percy not being a very good Pirate, but he was  a dangerous one either way - how did they think he managed to become captain?

Jason was lost in thought when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Thalia. He looked round at her and she smiled at him. She had short, choppy black hair and freckles dusting her nose and cheeks, a mischievous smile to top it all off. She was the opposite of Jason, with perfectly cut blond hair and a rigid smile, but he had a troublemaker stripe in him, just like Thalia.“Hey.” She said. “Long time no see.”

“Tell me about it. 15 years Thalia.”

Thalia winced. “I know, I’m sorry. I couldn’t stick around with that . . . that woman any longer. You’ve done okay for yourself you know.”

Jason nodded. “I know. . .that woman was our mother Thalia.” He told her, his chest constricting at the memories.

“A mother that would not have cared whether we froze to death on the streets or not. I was an expert pickpocket by the time I was nine Jason. . . why did I do it? To feed you. When she left us and never came back I couldn’t take it anymore. I . . .I thought the family I left you with . . . I thought they’d look after you - not sell you to pirates as soon as they could.” Thalia looked ashamed.

“Well, what can I say, I’m worth a lot of money.” Jason joked but his heart wasn’t in the joke. Thalia knew her actions had hurt him. “I managed for myself ok.”

“I’m sorry Jason.”

“I know. I know Thalia. Just . . . don’t leave me so soon again. I missed you.”  He admitted, looking down. “Fifteen years is a long time. You could have been dead for all I knew.”

“But I wasn’t.” Thalia smiled, pulling an unsuspecting Jason in for a hug. After a moment of getting over the shock and sadness of the hug, Jason put his arms round Thalia and hugged her back. It was nice to finally see her again, she had basically been his mother for the first almost decade of his life.

 


	24. The Pride of Hades - Percy

Looking at Nico, Percy couldn’t help but think how much he had grown to love him. He loved him so much. He loved the curve of his chin and the way his eyes glittered when he ever so rarely smiled. He loved the way Nico’s hair fell in his eyes and the way his jacket fit perfectly over his thin shoulders. He loved the way Nico’s thin cotton shirt was opened half way down his chest right now and he loved how Nico would fiddle with the skull ring on his finger when he was agitated. He loved that Nico would whisper in his ear the most trivial of things and that he would lean against Percy’s back for support in the middle of the night. He loved everything about this Pirate Captain, he was so sure that hated him, and he hoped he loved him back just as much.

Percy couldn’t resist but kiss Nico as they looked at each other in silence. He leaned down and knotted his hands in Nico’s hair as he kissed his smooth lips and parted them, licking along his bottom lip. Nico put his hands on either side of Percy’s face and deepened the kiss, pulling away to lay down on the sofa with his legs open and pull Percy on top of him, in between them.

Percy gasped for air and carried on kissing Nico. “mmm I love you.” Percy murmured into the kiss when he broke away for air. He started kissing down Nico’s neck, opening his shirt a little more. “I love you too.” Nico gasped arching his back slightly. Percy stopped kissing Nico to lift his own shirt over his head and then Nico’s. And they were back kissing each other. Nico’s hands trailed down Percy’s chest and Percy’s were at the nape of Nico’s neck. They continued, kissing and whispering I love yous for most of the night.

**

When Percy woke up it was still quite dark, but he could see through the window the sky was beginning to lighten. He could see Nico’s mop of black hair and his pale body next to him, the thin sheets round his waist. Percy sat up and looked at Nico’s bare upper body. He was laid on his stomach, arms hugging his pillow, facing away from Percy. Percy could see the battle scars on Nico’s back, gained from countless fights with other pirates and sea monsters. He was beautiful.

Percy laid back down on his side facing Nico and he began tracing patterns on his cold skin with is warm hands. “I love you” He whispered to Nico, even though Nico was still asleep.


	25. The Pride of Hades - Nico

Nico felt Percy tracing patterns on his back, slowly awaking. He felt Percy’s breath stir his hair when he whispered “I love you” so quietly Nico almost didn’t hear. Percy probably thought Nico was still asleep, but he said it anyway. Nico smiled to himself. He loved Perseus Jackson so much - he would never admit it to anyone but he did.

“I love you too.” Nico murmured back. Percy’s fingers on his back stopped.

“I thought you were still asleep.” He said quietly.

Nico rolled over and smiled blissfully at Percy. “I’m awake.”

“I can see that.” Percy smiled, his head resting on his pillow. “We better get up and set the course for the ship.”

Nico made a face. “Can’t we stay here.” He shuffled closer, pressing his body up against Percy’s and kissing him on the lips. Then he was on top of Percy kissing him passionately but lazily.

“Only five minutes.”

“ten.”

“ten.” Percy seconded and pulled Nico down on top of him. It took them much more than ten minutes for them to get up.

***

When they finally emerged from Nico’s cabin, the rest of their makeshift crew was stood on the quarterdeck waiting and the sun was beating down brightly. “Finally.” Called Reyna. “If we didn’t know any better we would have thought you were dead.”

Nico blushed bright red and Percy put a reassuring hand on his arm. They walked up to where the others were waiting. The weather was perfect today, no sign of a cloud and perfect sun. The seas were calm which was exactly what they wanted. Nico just wanted to go in and get this dagger and then live happily ever after, but he knew  the chances of that happening were thin.

Nico knew that when this was over, things had a chance of going back to how they were. Percy would go back and be Captain of Poseidon's Pearl with Annabeth and he would be left alone with a crew of ghosts. But looking at Percy now, remembering last night, and this morning - Nico thought maybe there was a glimmer of hope for them. Looking at Reyna and Annabeth, hands laced together, he thought maybe there really was.


	26. The Pride of Hades - Reyna

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's reynabeth in this one.

Reyna and Annabeth were stood on the deck looking out to sea together. Reyna could see Percy and Nico stood together at the helm, they were so similar but so different. Reyna thought there were two types of couples, two types of soulmates even. There was those who were opposites to each other and then those who were the same as each other. Percy and Nico were opposites, although they had their similarities they were so different they had to be opposites. Reyna and Annabeth were the latter type, the same as each other. They both had fierce determination to get what they wanted, and would stop at nothing. They both had fiery passion and desire and had the capacity to love completely. They both spoke their mind and weren’t afraid of much.

Reyna loved Annabeth for all of these things and a million more, she could not describe the love she’d grown to feel for this beautiful woman and she was just so glad she loved her back.

“What are we going to do, after this is all over?” Annabeth asked, not looking at Reyna, looking out at the glittering sea.

“I don’t know.” Reyna admitted, looking at Annabeth’s beautiful grey eyes, framed by her long blonde lashes.

They stood there, side by side, for a long time just happy to be in each others company. When the sun went down they went inside and the next morning they had landed on a small island in the middle of nowhere.

The seven of them got off the ship and went to find this girl Jason knew, who may or may not have information on Luke’s dagger.

The beaches of the island were white sand with clear blue water and various trees lining them. The island was beautiful. Reyna could see piles of grey rocks in the distance and further inland cottages with straw roofs, like many she had seen on islands like this before. They walked for a while, not for long, until they reached the small cluster of cottages.

Reyna could see Nico surveying the situation, like he might find something of value. He looked over at Hazel and mumbled something in her ear. She looked surprised and distressed and whatever Nico said made her more so. She nodded at him, alarm clear on her face. Nico nodded back like he expected her to nod, he looked grim. Reyna wondered what was wrong.

It was facsinating to her, Nico and Hazels sibling relationship and how they could read each other better than themselves even when they were apart most of the time. They were closer, much closer, than Reyna and her sister had ever been and ever would be. They were closer than any siblings Reyna had seen, perhaps because Nico didn’t want to lose another sister. She didn’t know much of Bianca but she knew a little.

Annabeth laced her fingers through Reynas as they walked and she leant her head on her shoulder. “You know what I think we should do after all this?” She whispered.

“What?” Reyna asked, not in the mood to be playing games.

“I think we should go and join Thalias Highwaygirl gang and live together, a life of crime and debauchery - together.” Annabeth proposed.

“What about my crew?” Reyna asked. “What about your and Percy’s crew?”

Annabeth shrugged. “It’s not my crew, it’s Percys, and yours can become Jasons. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”

Reyna smiled. “Maybe. . . I might ask him.”

Annabeth smiled too. She loved this woman. She never thought she’d love anyone more than she loved Percy, she never thought she’d love anyone the way she once loved Percy but here she was with Reyna - completely and utterly in love with her, a way she’d never been in love with anyone before.

 


	27. The Island - Jason

Jason could remember almost perfectly which cottage Piper lived in. It was one of the big ones, she owned an inn, whose main custom was passing Pirates like themselves. His heart started to beat faster as they neared the cluster of houses - he had left without a word, and he was worried as to what she’d say to him turning up after all this time.

Finally they reached the village. Reyna and Annabeth were trailing far behind them in an intense conversation, Nico was talking to Hazel and Percy and Thalia seemed to be trying to push each other over. Jason looked back at them all and stopped, waiting for them to catch up.

“So, where’s this girl you know?” Reyna asked seriously. Reyna knew Jason had been on this island for a while when he lost his memory. He used to be part of the Royal Navy back in England but he’d been captured and stranded on this island, with amnesia. Reyna and her pirate crew had found him, taken him in and he’d risen to quartermaster quickly. He’d slowly regained his memories in the following months, but he didn’t regret joining Reyna’s crew. For all he knew he was legally dead in English records. From what he could remember of the navy, being a Pirate was much more fun.

“Jason?” Reyna asked when he didn’t reply.

“Oh, sorry.” He pointed towards one of the bigger houses. “I think it’s that one. She owns an inn.”

They started walking towards it and it didn’t take them long to reach it. Jason hesitated before

knocking on the scratty brown wooden door that looked like it might fall apart at the slightest touch.

Jason could hear someone bustling about inside and then the door opened abruptly, to reveal a brown skinned girl in a long white dress with choppy hair and beautiful eyes. It was the girl Jason remembered. “You. Jason Grace.” She said.

Jason smiled awkwardly. “Yeah. We, er, we need your help.”

“My help?”

“It might take a while to explain.” Nico di Angelo said appearing behind Jason, his hand on his sword should any threat appear. “Do you mind if we come in?” He asked.

Piper opened the door wider to let them past. She gestured to a nest of old couches in the corner, in front of a blazing fire. “Go ahead. What do need my help with?” She asked.

“We need advice.” Percy said settling into an armchair.

Piper sat across from him, abandoning whatever she had been doing before and the rest of Percy’s crew sat down with them. Nico sat next to Percy, on the arm of the chair. “We’ve heard rumours about this place.” Nico said. “We heard that there is a series of underwater caves and tunnels here, leading to a dagger.” He explained.

Piper nodded. “Your suspicions are true.” She confirmed.

Nico nodded. “There are also a lot of valuables hidden under this island - in these underwater tunnels.” Piper nodded again, so did Hazel.

“There is. The dagger is said to the most valuable of all. Hidden here by a wayward Pirate almost a decade ago. It is said to be cursed.” Piper told them.

“We knew the Pirate and we need the dagger, for as you said it is valuable and very powerful. We need to get it before someone else can so we can prevent them from using its curses.” Thalia explained.

“I can take you to it, well, as far as I dare go. You will have to wait till morning however. The sun is setting and it will be dangerous in the dark when magic is more alive.” Piper told them. “You can stay here for the night, I have five rooms.

“Thank you.” Reyna said and Piper led them upstairs. Reyna and Annabeth took one room, Nico and Hazel another, Percy another, Thalia one and Jason one.

 


	28. The Island  - Percy

Percy didn’t say anything, but it hurt when Nico chose to share a room with Hazel instead of him. He felt like Nico didn’t want to share with him. He didn’t even question sharing with Hazel and Percy didn’t know what to say. He wanted to share with Nico, to stay up all night and talk about their future, to just be in each others company and hold each other - but obviously that wasn’t going to happen. Percy would be in a room all alone, without Nico. Because Percy wasn’t going to deprive Nico of time with his sister.

He was just worried Nico was starting to not love him, now he’d had his fun, his scandal. Or maybe Nico only wanted Percy for the scandal, the debauchery - maybe he never really loved him, maybe he was just a good liar. Percy shook his head. He couldn’t afford to think like that, he had to trust Nico. God, he had to trust everyone and that was incredibly hard. Over the past few weeks he’d had to trust Nico, Reyna, Jason, Hazel and now Piper. He already trusted Annabeth and Thalia thanks to knowing them for so long - but five new faces to trust, it was hard.

When Percy had just got sorted out and settled into his room, he got a knock on his door. “Percy!” Annabeth called. “We’re going to discuss what we’re doing in the morning and we need you here too.” She said gently. Percy slowly opened his door. He was shirtless and shoeless with only his trousers on. His hair was wet and a cloth round his neck, there was a basin of water on the nightstand.

Obviously they had forgot to let Percy know of this discussion meeting. “Yeah, I’ll be two minutes.” He told her and shut the door. He threw on an old brown shirt and some boots and went downstairs, he didn’t bother with the jacket.

They sat on the same chairs they did before, everyone seemed to be waiting for Percy. Piper only seemed to have one other customer in, a fat old man sat at the other end of the room drinking something almost religiously. Percy guessed he must be a local - spending his life drunk in some inn, not much of a life. Percy prefered the high risk life of a Pirate.

Percy sat down in an empty space next to Nico and he took his hand. Nico looked at him, almost in shock, but then as Percy rubbed soothing circles on his hand with his thumb, Nico relaxed, he even smiled. Nico had seemed fairly jumpy since they got to the island, so did Hazel. Percy wondered if it was something to do with the magic there.

“The magic is very strong here.” Hazel told them. “We need a careful plan - but first it would be good to know Lukes intentions for hiding it here, we need to know if theres any traps too.” She said.

“Luke wanted it hidden. He didn’t want anyone to find it.” Thalia said.

“He came to me and asked me to help him.” Annabeth said looking down. “He said he was in too deep and he wanted out.” She shook her head as a tear rolled down her cheek. “I couldn’t. He told me he was going to hide the dagger away forever so it would never cause anyone the harm it caused him.”

“Looks like the forever part didn’t quite work then.” Reyna said skeptically.

“I don’t think it’s Lukes style to add traps, but I think it will be difficult.” Thalia said.

“According to rumour, the daggers embedded in a crystal rock and only magic can get it out. Strong magic, but pure magic.” Piper told them.

“I can help with that.” Hazel said.

“The cave it is in is linked to the island through a series of tunnels, layered under the sea. To get to them there is a cave on the far side of the island. You will have to swim, deep.” Piper said. “I’m not sure you’ll survive the dive and there is no other way.”

“I can help.” Percy said. “I’ll take Hazel to the dagger, we’ll get it and come straight back.”

“What are we going to do with it once we’ve got it?” Jason asked.

“I’m going to strip the curse and magic, and we’ll sell it. It should still be very valuable without it’s magic. It’s embedded in the finest jewels with gold plating - we should make plenty. The magic stripping will be hard, but worth it. We can split the money once we’ve sold it and go our separate ways.”

“How are we going to find someone to pay for it?” Thalia asked.

“I’m sure theres some excitable nobles just waiting to get their hands on a piece of Pirate treasure. We’ll sell it to an antiques shop, or better, put it on the black market.” Nico smiled. “I know a few people back in London, and some in Paris. I’m sure the palace of versailles would like to add the dagger to their glittering ensemble of jewels, or the Kings Crown Jewels in the Tower of London needs a new addition. We will sell it.”

“The money this dagger will make will be enough to buy a fleet of ships, never mind just one. Split up, a ship and a crew for each of us if that’s how we wish to spend it.” Hazel told them. “I can already feel the magic in my bones. Exciting isn’t it?” She smiled looking at each single one of them. Hazel could be scary when she wanted to be.

“We set off at dawn.” Piper told Hazel and Percy. Hazel nodded.

“Wait. I need someone else to come with us. If there is traps down there.” Percy said urgently.

“I’ll come.” Nico said. “I can feel spirits, I have a feeling they’ll be waiting for us in the tunnels and caves, they are heavily laden with magic.”

“Okay. I’ll see you both in the morning. Good Night.” Percy told them and he went to bed. If he was going to get Nico and Hazel through the water dry and breathing tomorrow, he needed a good nights sleep. Sometimes the powers from his father came in handy, but with eight people knowing, he was unsure as to what they were thinking right now. But Percy couldn’t be bothered worrying. He just wanted to sleep and so he did.

 


	29. The Island -Annabeth

Annabeth and Reyna sat downstairs for a while. They could see Jason and Piper at the other end of the room talking, in a deep conversation. They looked like they’d had trouble which Reyna told her was true. Piper didn’t look happy that after looking after Jason for months, he’d jumped at the chance to leave with a passing pirate crew. Annabeth had to admit, Jason had nerve coming to Piper for even more help after that.

Nico and Hazel retired to bed not long after Percy, saying they had a big day ahead tomorrow, and Thalia sat with Reyna and Annabeth just watching the fire crackle.

“Thalia.” Reyna uttered. “Annabeth mentioned something to me earlier and I wanted to ask you about it.”

“Go ahead.” Thalia said looking at Reyna. Annabeth squeezed Reynas hand and smiled to herself. She was so glad that Reyna was actually considering this.

“We wanted to know about becoming highway girls, joining your gang. I mean being a Pirate captain is hard work, and I need a break. But I still want to live the kind of life I do now, stealing and pillaging and stuff - maybe just not a sea. And Annabeth mentioned this to me and how she’d like to consider it and it sounds appealing, it really does.”

Thalia smiled then. “I’m glad you asked. I’d love to have you join. Pirates like you two should pick up the ropes quickly. You know how to use a gun right? I know swords and cutlasses are a lot more common at sea.”

Reyna nodded. “I know how to use a gun.” Annabeth seconded her.

“Good. You guys’ll fit right in.” Thalia told them. Annabeth smiled, a massive grin plastering her face. “You can come and see the cottage when we land back in England. We usually travel quite a bit, you know, so we don’t get caught and so we have fresh prey. We have safe houses all over the country. And we can always bribe innkeepers with a few bits of silver we’ve stolen.” Thalia winked mischievously.

Annabeth looked at Reyna. “We’re actually doing this?”

“We’re doing this.” Reyna said, her smile fully reaching her eyes. Annabeth had thought about this for a while. She thought about doing this when she was younger, when Luke first went off the rails so to speak but she decided she had to stay and help Percy pull the crew through, but now - with Percy most likely off with Nico and Reyna by her side Annabeth really wanted this.

Thalia was her oldest friend and to be with Thalia and Reyna would be perfect, and she’d still see Percy sometimes when they pulled into dock at London to sell things and gather supplies. “Let’s go to bed.” Annabeth whispered to Reyna. Reyna nodded. “Goodnight Thalia” She said.

“Night.” Thalia replied.

___

Reyna pushed Annabeth against the door kissing her feverishly. Annabeth tried to catch her breath and then kissed back, intensely and passionately. Annabeth could feel Reynas fingers on her stomach at the hem of her shirt which had came untucked from her trousers. Reyna felt up her stomach, bringing her shirt up with her and Annabeth came undone. She moaned as Reyna kept feeling up and up, and when she started kissing her neck.

Annabeth pushed Reyna back and down onto the big double bed, straddling her hips and kissing her neck. She managed to get Reynas shirt off and she threw her own off onto the wooden floor, not caring about it in the tangle of limbs and heated kisses. Leaving a hickey on Reynas collar bone, Annabeth moved down and her fingers hovered at the button of Reynas trousers, she looked as if asking for permission and Reyna nodded desperately.

The next morning when Annabeth woke up, she was blissfully happy to be in Reynas arms, she just wished the night they had spent could have lasted forever.

Just before dawn there was a knock on their door. “We’re setting off to go now.” Piper called to them.

“Okay, five minutes.” Annabeth called back and gently shook Reyna on the shoulder to stir her from slumber. Reyna opened her eyes slowly and smiled. “Time to go.” Annabeth whispered and they got up and got ready.

 


	30. The Island - Nico

Finally Annabeth and Reyna came down from their room. The plan was to all walk to the cave, with Piper as their guide. She said that was as far as she would take them and they were on their own from there. Percy, Nico and Hazel were going to go and get the dagger. There was supposedly a pool at the back of the cave that led to the tunnels. Nico hoped that was true. He prayed it was true.

As soon as Reyna and Annabeth came down they set off, as Piper claimed the caves were on the other side of the island. For the whole journey Hazel seemed jumpy. Nico knew this was because this island was unusual. He knew she could feel the underground networks and the jewels that probably lined them.

Nico felt kind of jumpy too, but he was better at keeping his powers separate from his emotions due to more practice. He could feel spirits down there, and magic - a lot of magic.

Nicos expression darkened as he realised and Percy fell back to walk beside him. “What’s wrong?” He whispered.

“This place just feels, I don’t know, sinister.” Nico told him.

“Sinister?” Percy smirked. “You’re sinister.” He laughed.

“And you’re an idiot. I hope you can do what you say you can do to get this dagger.” Nico said pessimistically.

“I can, don’t worry.” Percy said grabbing Nicos hand. “We can do this, and we’re gonna make a ton of money and then we can live happily ever after!” He remarked.

“Happily ever after? We’re pirates Percy - theres a chance we get caught by the government and hung before we can live out our happily ever after.” Nico told him cynically.

“They won’t catch us.” Percy whispered.

“Okay then, whatever you say.” Nico said just to shut Percy up, and he let go of his hand and stalked ahead of him catching up to where Hazel was walking with Piper.

 


	31. The Island  - Percy

Percy sighed. Nico was being difficult again. Percy knew there was a chance that one day they could get caught and hung with their skeletons hung up at the mouth of a river to warn all other pirates that it was against the law, but why worry about someone else taking his life when he could just as easily get killed by doing what he was doing - piracy.

***

Eventually they reached the caves on the other side of the island. The walk had taken a couple of hours and it wasn’t exactly pleasant in the sweltering heat and with Nico mad at him. The cave looked small and unimpressive but Percy knew that it was what was inside that counted.

“This is as far as I take you.” Piper told them. “We will wait here for you.” She said addressing Percy, Hazel and Nico. The three of them walked into the cave without another word. It was better to get this over with as quickly as they could and come back into daylight where everything was safe again.

They got to the end of the small cave and there was a tunnel at the back, just big enough for Percy to stand fully upright in. They had to walk single file. Hazel walked in between Percy and Nico, with Nico up front and Percy behind.

They hadn’t walked for long when they reached an opening. They came into a large cave with a sparkling pool up ahead of them full of clear blue water. Just the pool itself was beautiful, not even mentioning the walls of the cave, which were inlaid with different coloured crystals and gems, coating the walls in a glittering ensemble of beauty. Percy gasped, he had never seen a treasure so beautiful. The pirate in him wanted to scrape the walls and sell the gems but the person in him knew that this was something not to be touched, to be left for people to find generations down the line. Something in him also told him that stripping this place bare of its beauty would bring horrible , horrible consequences. He had a feeling this place was cursed and he had a feeling he knew the person who put the curse there.

Hazels face lit up at the sight of all the jewels. She put a hand on Nico’s arm. “Look at this.” She exclaimed. “This is what I could feel Nico, it’s amazing.”

Nico smiled. “It’s beautiful.” He breathed.

“I know.” Percy said, breathless at the beauty before them.

Suddenly Nico seemed to sober up. He pointed at the water. “We need to dive. There should be a tunnel somewhere near the bottom or maybe a cave leading to the tunnels connecting us to the dagger.” He explained.

“The dagger’s close, but still far.” Hazel said.

“Oh, well that clears it up doesn’t it.” Percy said, throwing his hands up in the air.

The siblings looked at him creepily. Nicos ring clad hand resting on his sword. Hazel fixed him with a glare and Percy decided to let it drop.

Nico started taking his jacket off and he slung his sword in it’s sheath over his shoulder so it rested on his back. Percy did the same, removing his hat as well. Hazel removed her weapons belt and took out a single dagger, strapping it to the sheath on her thigh. Percy waded into the water about waist deep, he stayed perfectly dry. When he didn’t hear Nico and Hazel come in after him he turned around. “Well, are you coming or not?” He asked his arms spread wide showing that his shirt was a little too big for him.

Nico nodded quickly and followed Percy, so did Hazel. “I’m still dry.” Hazel remarked.

“That’s why I came along.” Percy smiled without looking at her. “On three we’re going to dive. You should be able to breath, but if not come straight back up.” He told them and they dove on three. After swimming for not long, Percy found the entrance to a narrow tunnel, still underwater. He looked back at Hazel and pointed at it. Hazel nodded and so Percy swam in. He may be able to breathe underwater but he couldn’t talk. Anyway, he had to concentrate on the air bubbles around Nico and Hazel too, he couldn’t afford to worry about anything else.

After a few minutes of swimming down the tunnel, which seemed to be going downwards slightly as well as forward, Percy noticed a hole above, which seemed to lead to dry land. He pointed again and both Nico and Hazel nodded.

Percy swam up to the opening and hauled himself up, placing his leg over onto the sandy ground and pulling up, rolling over and finally standing up and brushing himself off. Nico did the same, Percy offering a hand to help him up. Nico declined it, which made Percy frown.

He wanted to know what was going on with Nico. At first he’d been so standoffish but he’d still agreed to help. Then Percy had realised he was falling in love with Nico and Nico had admitted he loved him too. Percy had thought everything was okay but now, Nico was back to treating him the same way he’d treated him before. Percy didn’t know what to think.

Nico offered a hand to Hazel when she came up and she took it. He hauled her up and helped her stand. “Which way?” Nico asked Hazel looking down both ends of the tunnel, neither side particularly light. Hazel pointed left and she started walking, the two boys following her.

“I sense jewels, a lot of them. This dagger is overpowering all my senses though. It’s like a magic beacon just beckoning me.” She told them as they walked.

“I sense spirits.” Nico said. “Old spirits.”

Percy didn’t say anything.

“Some from as far back as Roman times. Not angry though, just - trapped.” He explained.

Percy followed them in silence. Hazels curley caramel hair was sticking out in frazzled pieces from under her bandana and Nico’s was wild as always. Percy knew it was inappropriate but he couldn’t help notice how tightly Nicos trousers fitted his behind, it looked good. Percy just wished Nico was in the right mood to appreciate something like that.

Hazel suddenly stopped after a while of walking in silence and she whirled on Percy and Nico. “What is going on with you two.” She said.

Nico looked shocked, his mouth hanging open, “N - nothing.” He said.

“Really? Because I thought you loved each other but you’re not acting like it.” She said angrily. “What’s up? You really need to sort yourselves out.”

Nico looked down and blushed. “I - I’m worried people’ll see us together.” He mumbled.

“I thought you were a pirate Nico.” Hazel said.

“I am.” Nico said proudly his head up.

“Someone once told me that Pirates don’t care what other people think about them, and if you care then you’re not really a pirate.” Hazel told him. “So, are you still a pirate?” She asked.

Nico’s head fell. “I don’t know.” He looked back at Percy, worry in his eyes. “I’m afraid he’ll break my heart.” He said so low that Percy almost didn’t hear. He didn’t think he was supposed to hear.

He took a step towards Nico and put a hand on his shoulder. Nico flinched. “I’m not gonna break your heart.” He said tenderly. “Is that why you’ve been so distant, so guarded lately?” He asked.

Nico simply nodded. Percy wrapped his arms around him and Nico let out a whimper as if he was trying not to cry. He rubbed soothing circles on his back. “I’’m never going to let you go Nico.” He whispered.

“Well, can you let him go for an hour so we can find this dagger please?” Hazel asked.

Percy pulled away . “Oh yeah, the dagger.” And they began walking again.

Hazel smiled. “I’m glad you two are sorting things out.”

Nico reached for Percy's hand and they intertwined their fingers together, the way they always did when they were looking for comfort. Percy saw Nico smile out the corner of his eye. “I’m always going to have my doubts.” Nico whispered. “You can only get left on your own so many times before you begin to think everyones going to do the same.” He continued. “But I can try. For you.”

“For me.” Percy smiled squeezing his hand. “Just be sure of this, I won’t go till you force me away.” And he pecked him on the cheek, at which Nico blushed furiously. Percy bet Nico was glad Hazel wasn’t looking. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

 **  
**And with that they carried on walking down the dimly lit tunnel about 100 feet under the sea.


	32. The Island - Hazel

As they walked Hazel smiled to herself. She could hear Percy and Nico whispering behind her. She was so glad that her brother had finally found someone he cared about other than family, someone he was willing to trust. Hazel knew that Percy would take care of Nico. He may seem like a troublemaker with his wild wind swept looks and his breezy attitude but he was someone who could love and be loved and someone who had so much love to give. Hazel just hoped Nico realised this too, because he also had a lot of love to give - he just wanted to be sure he was going to receive it too after having his heart broken by Bianca once before and by his father and to a lesser extent by Percy all those years ago.

Hazel slowed as she saw sparkling lights up ahead. “Do you see that?” She asked slowly.

“Yeah.” Nico said uncertainly.

“I think the daggers in there. I thought it would be harder than this.” She said.

“It would have been if we all didn’t have our respective powers. Not to be mentioned outside of this group.”

“Mm, we would never have got across the pool without me.” Percy interjected.

“And although you can’t see them, I’m working hard to keep these spirits from sabotaging us.” Nico said. “No doubt there’ll be a challenge waiting for you Hazel.” He half laughed. “Lets get going.” And he walked off ahead of them both.

Hazel had to half jog to catch up with Nico’s quick strides. They reached the opening in no time and they all gasped. It was just as beautiful as the pool room, if not more. The cave in question was large with the same glittering walls as the room with the water. Hazel could do nothing but stare and take in her surroundings with wide eyes. The walls held gems in an array of colours and as Hazel ran her hand across them she realized an array of textures and sizes too.

In the middle of the room there was a sort of podium, it came up to just above Hazels waist, the ideal height for her hands to rest on it. The rock was covered in gems like the wall and was the shape of a rectangle, but rough. Sticking out from the top was a jeweled hilt, glittering with neatly cut rubies, diamonds, jade, sapphires and others too. It looked more finished than the gems in the cave, the gems in the cave were rough and uncut with a wild natural beauty, but the hilt of this dagger was of a royal, majestic beauty, something that had been finely carved with careful precision and a keen eye - by a master craftsman, someone who knew very well what they were doing.

In a mesmerised daze Hazel put her hand round the hilt and tried to pull the dagger free. “Hazel no!” Nico shouted, but Hazel didn’t register what he said. She couldn’t pull it free. “Hazel, it might be trap.” Nico protested and Hazel loosened her grip on the embedded dagger and let her hands fall to her sides.

“It’s not.” She whispered. Percy and Nico just looked at her, waiting for something. “If it was going to be a trap, there would have been others, in the tunnels before. There wasn’t.”

“But the daggers still not going to come out by just pulling it whether it’s a trap or not.” Percy said quietly. Hazel turned to him and smiled.

She turned back to the dagger, took a step back and spread her arms out. The gems in the wall and covering the floor started shaking slightly, but the gems in the dagger shook a lot. A rumbling noise started up caused by the moving gems and Nico and Percy both moved to put hands over their ears.

Some gems started coming loose from the walls, but they didn’t drop, they hovered in the air, calmly and gently while the dagger continued shaking. Soon there was gems suspended in the air all around them. Nico and Percy bent down, protecting themselves for when, if, the gems fell. The dagger kept on shaking and the vibrations got bigger and bigger until the dagger slowly unsheathed itself and was suspended in the air too.

Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion, and Hazel wondered if it was like that for Percy and Nico too, who were crouched over by the entrance. As the dagger came towards her she dropped her arms and as her palm closed around the jeweled hilt the rest of the gems rained down around them.

The blade of the dagger was silver with gold engravings down the middle and Hazel couldn’t help but smile looking at it. It was beautiful, and Hazel was exhausted. “We need to get out of here. With the gems dislodged these walls could collapse at any moment.” She explained and the three of them started running. They stopped when they reached the hole they came through to catch their breath.

“That was some talent there.” Percy breathed, still out of breath. Hazel beamed at him and Nico patted her on the back. Within no time they were in the water and back up in the first cave, then out into broad daylight where the others were waiting.

 


	33. The Pride of Hades - Nico

He didn’t know where they were going or what they were doing, but he was happy for now just sitting peacefully in bed with Percy’s head on his lap, stroking his fingers through his silky black hair in a strange state of bliss. Percy was asleep, and Nico felt like he would fall asleep any minute now, his back propped up on the wooden headboard coated in pillows and his head lazily thrown back. He smiled, for he had never been happier, he had everything he wanted save his older sister. He had money, from the dagger, he had his little sister, he had his ship and he had Percy and those four things were all that mattered. In fact, he could do without the money and the ship if he had Hazel and Percy by his side.

 


	34. The Island - Jason

Maybe it was a rash decision, deciding to drop everything and stay on the quaint little island with Piper, but it was a decision that made Jason and Piper happy. Reyna had glared and Percy had looked confused but all in all, Jason was glad.

He did remember feeling something for Piper before. He wasn’t sure it was love but it sure as hell was love now, almost. He had stood on the beach in his bare feet with his trouser legs rolled up, holding hands with Piper who looked beautiful in her white dress and he had waved as Nico’s ship had sailed away.

Then he and Piper had gone back to her inn. He had had a lot of chance to talk to her over the past two days and she convinced him to stay. He felt so bad leaving her the first time, when he’d lost his memory but he decided it was best to stay now. He did love being a pirate, he really did but he’d loved being a soldier, a servant of the king. He felt his right place was here, living in innocent, unknowing bliss on the island with Piper who he felt he would grow to love fully in time.

 **  
**He knew deep down in his heart it was the right choice and he wouldn’t let anyone tell him otherwise. If it was Pipers head laid on his chest listening to his heart beat or the sweet scent of coconuts and sea breeze that the island seemed to have, he didn’t know but he was sure he would never find either less alluring for they were both amazing feelings.


	35. Somewhere in England - Annabeth

Annabeth laughed, hauling herself up onto the box with Thalia and Reyna. Her pistol was safely sheathed and her hat secure with her coat unfastened allowing people to see the array of beaded necklaces adorning her neck and her ruffled white blouse.

Thalia cracked the reins and the horses flew forward. They would usually take just a horse each and ride them without the cart but today, they were going to sell what they had gathered, or stole.

This was a weekly thing for them.

Every night they would fasten their long coats and hats, with pistols in their belts and in the pockets of their coats. They would ride their horses to different roads and wait for the wealthy travellers, who were praying they wouldn’t come across a highway man. Of course, they never prayed against highway girls.

They would stop each carriage, kill the driver, hold the passengers at gunpoint and steal whatever they had. If they were in a bad mood they would shoot them and send the horses on their way without a driver or passengers. If they were in a good mood they would lock the passengers in the carriage and send the horses on their way without a driver. If they were in a really good mood they would direct the passengers to the nearest inn on foot, with no less than a treat if they told what happened. All in all it was a fun life.

Annabeth was with Reyna doing what she loved and that was all that mattered. When they had finished a night of crime Annabeth and Reyna would often climb into bed together and take each others clothes off, enjoying the company of each other. They would wake up late in each others arms and every morning Annabeth would smile when she felt Reyna’s arm around her waist or her delicate fingers combing through her hair.

**  
  
**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the end. I hope you enjoyed it and please alert me to any comments you may have :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading and please leave a comment if you liked it! <3


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